An Assassin's Daily Life With Monster Girls
by Justanothafan
Summary: The invisible war between the Templars and the Assassins continues, but just like any war, complications are bound to occur. This becomes more than apparent when the existence of Extraspecies becomes common knowledge. In Japan, one Assassin finds himself having to deal with craziness on all sides, all while his past begins to come to light.
1. Chapter 1

The members of M.O.N. were more than a little antsy as they watched their boss, Kuroko Smith, intently study the document before her. This morning, the Chief had dropped them a case, telling her that it took top priority. To see Smith acting so serious was more than a little unnerving to the girls. This wasn't her 'acting' serious, this was full on 'work mode' Smith.

It was early in the morning, and some of their coworkers were watching the office T.V., catching up on the morning news. As Smith's eyes roamed the document in her hand, Doppel, their resident Shapeshifter, leaned back on her makeshift 'hair chair', focusing her hearing on the sound of the television, finding the news to be far more interesting than watching her boss read.

What she heard, however, caused her to grimace, as the news anchor began speaking.

_"This morning, another group of young men were found dead in downtown Asaka. Investigators have confirmed that this is the work of the serial killer, who authorities have named the 'Hawk'. The autopsies of past victims show that the killings were primarily performed with the killer leaping onto his victims from above. It has also been confirmed that these men had connections with the Yakuza, and people are beginning to suspect that this could be the work of an Extraspecies. Others believe that this is the work of an extreme vigilante...as all the victims had a criminal history. The Chief of Police..."_

She droned on, but Doppel shivered. It would make sense that the Chief would call Monster Ops in to deal with this. If the culprit was indeed an Extraspecies, then it would be in everyone's best interest to bag him before tensions rose. It was hard enough dealing with racists who wanted to cause trouble...this would be fuel to their stupid fire.

She was shocked when the chief suddenly walked into the office, which was a bit cramped due to Tionishia's size, as well as the fact that there was more than three people. He was a muscular man, with his most distinguishing features being the trimmed moustache above his lip, and his slicked back black hair, complete with a blue suit and dark blue tie.

After greeting each of them, he made his way to Smith's desk, and dropped his serious expression, adopting a rare look of worry when Smith looked up from the file.

"This is...rather worrisome, Chief."

He nodded in agreement, his face a mix of frustration and worry.

"I know. This new killer has become the constant talk of the offices. Whoever they are, they aren't amateurs. The only thing that we can confirm is the method of killing, and according to the doctors, this guy is well versed. We also got one of those Yakuza's swords with some blood on it. They put up a fight. their killer was better though. Barely any lacerations...almost all wounds made to kill. Until I can confirm that this is the work of a human, I can't have my guys patrol and hunt this bastard down. I can only enforce a curfew."

Smith nodded, knowing that this wasn't something she should joke about, not that she could. Normally the cases she worked on, (usually involving her favorite host, Kimihito.), were harmless little shenanigans. But this was actual murder. If this wasn't handled carefully, years of friendly human/extraspecies relations could fall apart.

Nervously crinkling her bag of chips, Tionishia asked, "How are we going to find this person?"

With narrowed eyes, Zombina said, "Maybe I can bite one of the victims? If they reanimate, they could describe the killer to us."

The Chief, surprisingly, didn't immediately shoot this down, showing how desperate he was.

"Perhaps, but after the stunt Lala pulled with your tooth, the authorities are watching you a little more closely. Besides, their brains would still have to be functional, and we find the victims hours after death."

Seeing the Chief sigh morosely, Manako silently got out of her seat and offered it to the man, who gratefully nodded as he sat down, his head in one hand, his elbows on the table as he looked over to the side. The girls' heart went out to the man as he whispered, "Why here? Why in 'my' city? With my little girl here?"

It had come as a shock to the members of M.O.N. to learn that their Chief was in fact Papi's father, his wife being the harpy who was...'ahem'...flashing, after coming to visit her daughter and take back her picture. The poor bicycle cop was still a little shaken after that incident.

This was yet another reason Smith was taking this matter seriously. She cared a lot about the members of the Kurusu household, and though they didn't fit their killer's choice of victims as criminals, even residing in an area where there was an active killer was operating was far from good. She prayed that Kimihito managed to stay out of this psycho's way.

**Meanwhile**

In a rather run down apartment, a young man stepped out of his restroom, applying a bandage to his right shoulder. It was already sporting some red, but within a few minutes, the wound would stop bleeding, and would be gone in a couple of hours.

Stab wounds usually did.

With a groan, he sat on his couch, pressing a few buttons on the remote and glaring at the T.V. as he saw the headlines for the news channel. The glare hardened as he listened to the anchor lowkey implicate an Extraspecies in the recent murders.

(They're getting faster. Last time it took them a day and a half to find the crime scene. Looks like they are starting to figure out where I operate.)

A moment later, his pocket vibrated, and he fished out a cellphone, where the message, "_Bosses are getting antsy. Perhaps you should lay low.", _was displayed on the screen, causing him to scowl.

He was quick to send back, "_Can't. They're getting bolder in their attempts. I just need a little more time."_

A moment later, another message popped up, "_They say you're pushing it. Stay safe."_

This caused him to sigh and mutter, "After everything I've done, 'they' are the ones pushing it."

He then took a glance at the clock and swore. It was almost time for him to go to his day job. Great, now he was going to have to work on no sleep. and a still healing stab wound. With a growl, he made his way to his closet to search for suitable clothing. If he was fast enough, he could at least grab a coffee before his shift started at Libido Doujin.

At least they had merged with an up and coming café.


	2. Something Similar

"Doppel..."

"Yeah?"

"This sucks!"

From her place at the driver's seat, Doppel rolled her eyes at her friend's outburst, even if she agreed with the zombie. They were currently riding around in a non-descript black car, patrolling the streets and looking for any sign of the killer known as 'Hawk'. Seriously, who the hell came up with that name?

Mapping out the location of the Hawk's kills, they basically triangulated an area for them to search. Unfortunately, the Kurusu house was well within the area, but Smith was reluctant to tell Kimihito and his homestays to become shut-ins until they captured the killer. Of course, to ease the Chief's mind over Papi's safety, she decided to go and inform them herself, while the rest of M.O.N. broke into teams of two and patrolled.

Needless to say, Zombina was getting flashbacks of the time they had to guard Kurusu during his 'fake dates' from 'D', who turned out to be Doppel. Doppel herself was wondering why 'she' had to drive, it was impossible to think up new pranks while she was behind the wheel. To her surprise, Zombina groaned and said, "Hey, lets take a break."

"Should we? We 'are' searching for a killer." Said Doppel. She was all for a break, but considering the situation...

As if sensing the thoughts running through her head. Zombina said, "Look, just a half hour should be good enough. Besides, we still don't know what they look like."

Doppel sighed at this. She 'would' to get out of this damn car for a little while. She was quick to park near the sidewalk, and turned back to Zombina. "Where do you want to relax then?"

To her surprise, Zombina grinned and pointed to an all too familiar shop. When Doppel recognized the building, she turned back to Zombina with a deadpan expression that said, "Really?"

"Come on. You can't say it won't take your mind off of it." Said the zombie, already exiting the vehicle and making her way to the infamous Libido Doujin. After the ORC held up the establishment, the place became rather popular, and they'd added an indoor café area so that customers could enjoy a nice relaxing drink while they read.

The two got a few weird looks as they walked towards the building, with Zombina secretly hoping that they updated the Yaoi section.

**Meanwhile**

He allowed his mind to wander as he placed the latest Yaoi Doujinshi in the correct section. Some of the more 'curious' readers, scared to be caught in this section of the store, tended to just place the Doujin near the front, where the general genres were. He'd worked here for a few months now, and had gotten good at recognizing where each title went.

Honestly there was no reason to be ashamed, this 'was' and adult Doujinshi shop after all. As he placed the last Doujin, a voice behind him suddenly said, "Huh...I thought I was the only one who visited these sections."

Tensing, he turned, and to his shock, saw a girl grinning at him. At first she appeared to be a regular girl, but a closer look revealed otherwise. Her skin was clearly stitched together, with different skin tones. Her irises were different colors as well, her right eye being amber while the left was green. Her hair was dual colored as well, red in the front and black in the back. She wore a black sleeveless shirt, blue jeans and boots. All in all, he found her rather attractive. He also knew what she was. A zombie.

A moment later, he was able to truly recall her. She 'had' come into contact with his target multiple times.

Smirking, he said, "I'm just making sure that everything is in their proper place. Its my job."

She grinned, showing her sharp teeth. "I guess some people wouldn't be caught 'dead' here." He chuckled at her pun, and she snickered, before her eyes went to the shelves and scanned the Doujinshi on display.

"Last time I was here, I didn't have time to see what this store had. Those stupid Orcs got in the way." This caused him to quirk an eyebrow.

"You were there during the hold up?"

"I was one of the gals who took those thugs down. Now that I think about it, I don't recognize you. Are you new here?"

He nodded. "I started here a few weeks back. Not too many people stayed after that debacle, so they were quick to hire me."

Zombina nodded in understanding. She was surprised the place didn't close down after the terrorist attack, but hey, she'd seen plenty of weird things, like guys who weren't bothered by the fact that she was a literal walking corpse. She studied the guy closely. He wore a blue long sleeve jacket with white stripes over a black t-shirt, as well as jeans and sneakers. He was also fairly tall, easily breaking six feet, causing her to look up at him as they spoke. He had black, somewhat static hair, pale skin, and pale yellow eyes. That struck her as odd. It wasn't an impossible color for humans to have, but those eyes also seemed...tired...as if they'd seen a lot of bad things. They made his smile seem...false.

He also seemed to be vaguely familiar, as if they've met before, though she couldn't quite recall where or why.

By now, she had tuned him out, staring deep into those aged eyes. She only heard him again when she saw his expression shift to confusion and worry, and indicating to the floor between them.

"Miss...your arm." Said the young man, causing the zombie to stop her musing and look down at the floor, where to her shock, her arm had indeed fallen, the stitching having come undone. Before she could move or apologize, she was shocked to see him gingerly lift the detached limb and gesture towards a small couch against the wall. She was shocked enough to see him 'not' freak out, and more shocked to see him procure a small sewing kit, much like someone else she knew.

Almost robotically, she sat next to him and held out her arm, watching as he casually began to reattach the limb. He was 'insanely' calm about this.

"This...doesn't freak you out?"

"I figured you were a zombie based on the stitching, and something tells me that you deal with this problem frequently."

She quirked an eyebrow at that. "What makes you say that?"

"You told me yourself. You were one of the people who took down the terrorists. I assume therefore, that you regularly go into dangerous situations where you come out in more than'one piece'. Also, the fact that you didn't notice your limb detaching...I'm guessing you don't feel pain?"

Zombina chuckled at the analysis, while trying to wrap her head around how fast this guy figured her out. What was he? Some sort of detective? Even Kimihito flinched at seeing her limb on the ground, but this guy barely blinked. Deciding to keep the conversation going, she said, "Those are some quick deductive skills you've got."

"Thank you. Most people are put off whenever I do that. Its a habit I picked up when I was younger." He said with a smile, which again, didn't reach his eyes.

A minute later, her arm was reattached, and she noted that there was a small bump beneath the sleeve of his right arm, and his hand seemed to have a strap between his thump and index finger. Pointing, she asked, "Is that some sort of brace? Did you break your arm?"

His eyes actually widened, and he looked his right hand, before scowling and saying, "Umm, its something similar. I usually wear a glove because I don't like showing it to people. You know... because everyone wants to sign it."

Zombina nodded in understanding. She didn't mind people looking at her stitches, but drew the line at them being touched by people she didn't know.

They stood up from the couch, with him adopting a smile and asking, "So...you looking for anything specific? I imagine you didn't come here to talk to little old me."

Grinning, Zombina asked, "You have any Attack On Titan stuff here?"

"Yes actually, follow me." As he lead her to the shelf, Zombina asked, "So, what's your name? Mine's Zombina."

"He spared her a glance, a small smirk on his face as he said, "Nice to meet you. My name is Yukito."

**Later**

"Jeez! Its about time you showed up!" Said Doppel with annoyance clear in her tone. Her coffee had long since gone cold. On her end, Zombina was grinning, holding the latest Attack on Titan Doujin in her hand as she sat in front of her friend and coworker. Seeing the grin on her face, Doppel's annoyance turned into curiosity.

"What's got you in such a good mood? Is it the hentai in your hand?" If she was hoping for Zombina to get flustered, she was disappointed, though what she said more than grabbed the shapeshifter's attention as she began to read her prize.

"That's half of it. While I was in the back, I met this interesting guy. He barely flinched at the sight of me, and he even sewed my hand back on when it fell off."

A guy? Even more...a guy who 'wasn't' put off by Zombina? It reminded her of a certain, indecisive man she knew. While she inwardly contemplated the strange similarities, Doppel outwardly scoffed and muttered, "How many guys know how to sew in this city? First Kurusu, now, a hentai store worker."

She noticed Zombina's gaze shift towards the Doujin part of the store, specifically the register, where a rather cute looking guy was working the desk, ringing up a nervous boy's purchase. The kid must have been a newbie, but Doppel smirked as she asked, "Is 'that' the guy? Interesting...someone as cute as him working here...you'd think he had a girlfriend already."

Zombina then quirked an eyebrow when Doppel began snickering, and followed her friend's line of sight, ending on Yukito's brace as it peeked out of his sleeve.

"What's so funny?"

Snickering, Doppel said, "His hand is in a brace, and he works in a hentai store. What do guys do with one hand with all this porn around?" Zombina rolled her eyes as the Shapeshifter nearly broke out in laughter at the hidden meaning, before refocusing on her own Doujin. It would be hypocritical for her to make fun of her fellow readers of the lewd arts. Unlike the Orcs, they weren't hurting anybody.

Doppel then noticed a man walk into the shop that didn't look like the usual clientele. No, he was a man wearing a rather expensive white suit, and upon seeing the guy running the register, he made a beeline for him, just as he sent his latest customer on his way. Doppel rapped her knuckles lightly on the table, grabbing Zombina's attention and indicating towards the Doujin register. Zombina, upon seeing Yukito expression harden into a glare, narrowed her eyes and nodded, before the two quickly stood up and began to make their way towards the scene, using the shelves as cover.

When they got close enough to hear the conversation, both of them tensed at the topic.

"Listen kid, just get your manager, my boss wants his payment." Said the suited man, his hands resting on the countertop next to the register. From their position, the M.O.N. operatives caught the faint glint of steel, and realized that the man had a knife up his sleeve. Zombina watched as the man grinned and angled his wrist so that Yukito could see, but her eyes widened when she watched him actually scoff, showing no fear as he said, "That's adorable. But if you don't take your rude ass out of here, you'll be leaving with it sticking somewhere else."

Behind her, Zombina hear Doppel whisper, "Damn, Hentai boy has some balls."

They then watched as Yukito took a glance at the man's exposed wrist and neck, where bold tattoos could be seen.

"Nice tattoos...I hear 'those' types are painful to get."

"Then you know 'who' your manager owes money to." Said the man with a smug grin, though it quickly fell when Yukito only tilted his head slightly, an unreadable expression on his face as his eyes seemed to bore into the man's. To Zombina and Doppel, it was kind of creepy, with the Yakuza clearing his throat and reaching to adjust his collar with his left hand.

After that, it happened.

Fast as a snake, Yukito latched onto the man's hand and slammed it down hard on the countertop between, an audible 'snap' following the bang of the impact. With a yelp, the man's knife slipped into his palm, and he made a swing for Yukito, who, without even looking, grabbed the attacking wrist with his seemingly injured hand, and redirected the blade into the man's left hand, which he'd kept pinned with his own

Having essentially stabbed himself, the Yakuza lost his composure and cried out, causing everyone to flinch before Yukito grabbed the man's hair, and brought his face down hard onto the counter, creating a crunching sound, and knocking him unconscious. Everyone watched as his body slumped to the ground, save for the bloody hand stabbed into the counter next to the register.

With a look of contempt, Yukito reached over and yanked the small knife out of the broken hand, flicking the blood off onto the Yakuza's white suit, which was now turning red due to the broken nose leaking blood. Looking around at the stunned customers, he calmly said, "Will someone call the police? They have some 'trash' to pick up."

Meanwhile, Doppel and Zombina stared mouths agape. Shocked at the scene that had just unfolded in front of them, with Yukito turning to address the stunned customers.

"I'm sorry everyone, but until the police arrive, I need you all to vacate the building."

No one was about to argue with him after 'that' display, with Zombina and Doppel finding themselves forced to follow the crowd as they left. However, before Doppel completely lost sight of him, she caught him bending down towards the unconscious criminal, his hand leaving the man's pocket, with a slip of paper between his fingers.

**Evening: M.O.N. Office**

The sun was setting outside, with the members of M.O.N. coming together for a quick meeting. Of course, the Chief was in attendance, they were in the middle of compiling their notes. Needless to say, they had next to zilch on the Hawk.

"Manako and I found nothing. No matter how long we scouted, we barely saw anyone suspicious." Said Tionishia with an irritated huff, with Manako sighing with apparent exhaustion. Hey eye hurt due to her near constant looking through the scope of her rifle.

The Chief turned to Smith and asked, "How was the news taken at the house? Any problems from the girls?"

Smith, with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, was quick to report.

"Centorea nearly ran out the house to 'hunt the foul fiend'. Miia got more clingy over 'her' darling. Rachnera is already getting started on booby-trapping the house. Mero started gushing about how tragic it would be if darling was killed on his way home. Lala got offended that someone else in town has taken 'her' job of reaping the wicked. I don't think Suu really knows what's going on."

"What about Papi?" Asked the man.

"She asked what a serial killer was, but the girls promised to make sure that she would be watched at all times."

The Chief sighed in relief. Despite their antics, the girls in that household had good heads on their shoulders, and the Kurusu boy was alright in his books, especially after the incident with the fake director. He then turned to Zombina and Doppel.

"What about you two? Find anything noteworthy?"

Doppel, to the surprise of everyone, even Zombina, said, "I think we have a suspect."

**Meanwhile**

Yukito watched the house intently, catching movement in a few windows with his night vision goggles. He sat atop a roof that was a few blocks away from the target's residence, wearing all black to further camouflage himself. So far, nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. No mysterious individuals lurking around, no unfamiliar vehicles. Nothing out of the ordinary outside.

Now 'inside'...it might be a different story. Yukito chuckled as he recalled some of the past events that had occurred. His target had some weird luck.

His mind then wandered to the earlier part of today...or was it yesterday? He'd been playing sentry for a few hours now. Either way, he recalled how the Yakuza member, stupid as he was, had a slip of paper that detailed a meeting that was to take place tomorrow evening, a meeting he himself was 'definitely' going to attend.

What an amateur move. Who writes down secret meeting places where someone could just read it? At least have a damn code!

He was getting off track.

He'd earned a few days off from his boss as thanks, he might as well use them.

He tilted his head when he saw the lights start to go out in the house.

(About time they hit the hay. Speaking of which...)

He yawned and began to pack up his gear. It was about time he did so as well. He had a busy night tomorrow, and he had some preparations to make. If he was lucky, maybe 'they' would get off his case and let him work in peace.

Nah...probably not.


	3. First Contact

**Warehouse: Location Unknown**

A few of the men flinched as their boss sliced open a man's throat with a flick of his blade, the victim sharing a resemblance to the man who tried to extort money from Libido Doujin. He was in fact that man's brother, and he was paying the price for his sibling's actions.

Gurgling and choking on his own blood, the poor man fell first to his knees, then flat on his face, a pool of blood forming beneath the twitching body as the man flicked the blood off his blade, before turning to face the group of men watching.

He was a man, looking close to middle aged with short black hair that framed both sides of his face. His eyes were a steely gray, with a scar resting above his left eye and stitches. A thick goatee was on his chin, and he wore a pair of large slightly tinted glasses. He wore a black suit with red trims and a red tie. In his hand was a wakizashi, with a red scabbard and black guard. As he glared at the assembled men, he stepped over the now still corpse and sheathed his weapon.

"The Hawk is currently hunting our group, and 'you lot' are wasting time trying to rob small stores? Its a wonder we haven't been wiped out yet."

One of the braver men nervously said, "Boss, perhaps we should consider that our operation here is compromised. If we can't get Izumo out of jail before he's interrogated..."

The 'boss' narrowed his eyes and said, "You don't think I've considered that?" He then began to pace, with a few men coming forward to drag the dead body away, while the rest fidgeted at the look their boss had.

Finally, he narrowed his eyes, and with a growl said, "Prepare for an attack."

"From who? The police?" Asked one of the men, getting nervous murmurs. The man scowled as he said, "No...the Assassins."

As the men began to act on his orders, he glanced down at his wrist and muttered. "I wonder...if its 'you'..."

**Meanwhile**

_"Target is leaving the residence. I repeat, he's on the move." _Said Tionishia, peeking out from behind a wall as the aforementioned target stepped out of his apartment, wearing a thin grey hoodie.

_"About freaking time! How can someone stay in that tiny apartment for an 'entire' day!? It's almost midnight for crying out loud!"_

_"Calm down Doppel. And no funny business...we don't know what he's capable of." _Said Smith, though she herself kind of agreed. The guy was a real shut in.

_"This night vision is terrible, why couldn't we get updated optics?" _Complained a timid Manako.

_"Just keep track of him. Report 'suspicious' activity. We still have no real evidence that this guy is who we think he is." _Said Zombina, a little edge in her voice.

_"In other words, don't shoot my boyfriend." _

_"Doppel! He's not my-! Argh!"_

On her end, Smith sighed at the antics of her subordinates. Of course, it helped relieve some of the tension that this operation was building. Honestly, she felt more than a little guilty, and she recalled how she found herself here.

**Flashback**

"You've got to be kidding!" Yelled Zombina, sounding more than a little ticked off at what Doppel just said. Around them, the others wore confused and shocked expressions.

Unfazed, Doppel said, "Its not that far of a stretch. When we were leaving, I saw him take something from the Yakuza's shirt pocket. No doubt, he wanted to see if there was a clue to their hideout's location."

"He's just a Doujin shop worker!" Said Zombina, glaring daggers at Doppel, while Smith quirked an eyebrow at her tone. Her teasing nature reared its head, seeing an opportunity to have some fun, and perhaps alleviate the tension between the two.

"My, my...could it be possible that our Zombina-chan has a crush on a 'hentai shop' worker?"

Zombina gritted her teeth and turned away to hide her reddening face, while Doppel snickered somewhat.

The Chief on the other hand, was not in the mood.

"Doppel, was there anything else that you found shady about this guy?"

Doppel nodded and indicated to her wrist. "The guy was wearing some sort of brace, but he caught the attacker's hand with it as if nothing was wrong, so clearly he isn't injured. Hell, the way Zombina described it, he seemed shocked that she saw it. From my position, I thought that I saw something reflect the light under the sleeve. Not to mention, he seemed to know that the guy was Yakuza, based on the tattoos he had."

The man nodded at this. "A possible past with the Yakuza, and a hidden weapon. His name is Yukito, correct?" All eyes turned to Zombina, who slowly nodded, feeling somewhat guilty. She felt like she was throwing the poor guy under the bus.

Smith adjusted her glasses and said, "We'll run his name through the database and confirm if he has any criminal history. Anyone who remains 'that' calm around the Yakuza...there's bound to be a reason. Not to mention, the security footage the police pulled from the store was...alarming."

Curious, Manako spoke up and asked, "How could it be alarming?" Here, Doppel chimed in, her eyes wide and tone excited, as if she was seeing it again in real time.

"He was freaky fast! He broke the guy's hand by slamming it hard on the counter, and he didn't even look when the thug swung his knife! He caught the sucker's hand and made him stab himself, then slammed his head down and breaking his nose! I'm pretty sure that he would have killed the guy if it weren't for all the witnesses."

Tionishia winced at the description. As big as she was, she still found herself put off with acts of brutality, thus using more 'blunt' applications of her immense strength whenever the situation called for it. The Chief's eyes narrowed, before turning to Smith and asking, "How fast did he dispatch the crook?"

"Less than three seconds, and Doppel isn't kidding about the ease in which he did it. We should check if he had military training."

"What will we do in the meantime?" Asked Manako. As far as she was concerned, this suspect was a human, which meant M.O.N. no longer had any jurisdiction. To the shock of all, the Chief said, "If we find anything suspicious, I want 'you' to keep tabs on him."

"What!?" Said the members M.O.N. They were not expecting 'that'! It was Smith who further elaborated on their shock.

"Chief...not to sound lazy...but I 'can't' do that! We barely have cause to monitor him, and he has yet to break interspecies laws, therefore...!"

"On the contrary...we found another victim two hours ago, an Orc." He then pulled out a small picture and laid it on the table, and despite their shock, they recognized the victim, with Doppel's eyes being the widest.

"Hey, he's the guy Kimihito and I bagged during our date! How the hell does he keep getting back into this country!?"

Snorting, the Chief placed another picture down, taken during the autopsy, this time, with the Orc clearly being dead, a sheet covering his body from the neck down. Seeing this, the girls felt their blood run cold, including Zombina, as the Chief said, "Whatever the method, he's not ever coming back. Hours after my boys got back from Libido Doujin, we got another call, and we found this bastard halfway inside a dumpster."

He then pointed to his throat.

"The cause of death was a clean strike of a blade through the throat, matching our other victims. This case has become top priority in our department. Now we know he doesn't discriminate based on species, human or not. Its bad enough that people think a Liminal is the killer..."

"But if the Hawk is a 'human' who killed a Liminal..." Finished Smith. A shudder ran through the room, the implications being more than apparent. Then the Chief looked up to face the girls.

"Perhaps we're stretching the rules...but considering what's on the line, we need to act on 'any' leads we have.

Zombina gritted her teeth as she thought about what was happening. There was no way...right?

**End Flashback **

Smith growled in frustration. She honestly wasn't paid enough to deal with this, but she wasn't going to be her usual laidback self either way, not with the stakes being so high. Currently, she was in the back of a squad van, watching monitors that displayed various camera feeds. The four primary ones were from the members of her squad. Manako was keeping her scopes on him from the rooftops. Zombina was following him from behind cover, while Doppel changed her form every so often so as to not seem like a suspicious stalker.

Tionishia was following from a distance, but she was mainly a distraction. Yukito would obviously notice her, and they would see how he reacted to being followed.

As promised, the Chief had his people pull up the guy's information, and what they found...or rather...'couldn't' find, was alarming. All they got was a name, and an address. There was nothing about his family, no criminal or military history...not even an age or nationality. Just a name. As far as the government was concerned, he didn't truly exist.

It was as Doppel said, close to midnight now, street lights illuminating the sidewalk their target now walked, long past the curfew the police had set for the citizens. The fact that he even stepped out this late was suspicious enough, but Smith wouldn't make her move until she had 'actual' reason. His apartment was also close to the seedier part of the city, with a network of apartments and small businesses that bordered the docks.

Didn't Zombina catch her friend Shiishii there not too long ago? Wait, why was she thinking of that now?

Taking a sip of her coffee, Smith watched from Tio's body cam as he walked with purpose, only the street lights providing light due to the early closing of businesses. Due to the hood concealing most of his face, she didn't really get a good look at his face, and Manako wasn't kidding about the night vision function of her rifle. At best, she could only see the bottom half of his face, as well as his piercing yellow eyes. They seemed to glow under the darkness of that hood, giving him a menacing look.

(Almost like a Hawk.) Thought the coordinator with narrowed eyes, before sighing, leaning back, and taking another sip of her coffee. She nearly did a spit take when she heard Tio, Zombina, 'and' Doppel almost yelling into their radios.

_"He's gone!/Where did he go!?"_

Recovering, Smith scowled and looked at the monitors. Indeed, the target was nowhere to be found on their feed, except...

_"Don't worry, I have him in my sight! He's taken to the roofs?!" _Said Manako with no small amount of alarm. Turning to Manako's feed Smith was shocked to see that their target was indeed leaping from rooftop, easily traversing the higher ground with almost inhuman agility and speed!

(This guy know Parkour!?) Thought Smith with a shocked expression, before gritting her teeth and saying, "Manako, keep your eye on him, I'll lead the others to wherever he's heading!"

_"Yes Ma'am!" _Said Manako stoically, while Doppel could be heard groaning in annoyance.

_"Damnit! _ _Do we have to run?"_

"That's why we don't skip leg day Doppel." Said Smith with a small grin. This should teach her to skip out on team exercises.

**Meanwhile**

(I should have expected this.) He thought as he leapt down towards a lower rooftop, sprinting across and leaping over to the next house, before sliding down a sloped roof and leaping again.

He was more than aware that there were eyes on him the moment he exited his apartment. The Ogre trying to follow him from a distance was the first clue. The second was the seemingly random cast of people who seemed to show up out of nowhere. He was familiar enough with the area to recognize a new face, not to mention that it was past curfew, so only the authorities should've been out here.

Finally, he used his sixth sense to find his third stalker. Through the wall, hiding in the alleyways, he recognized Zombina, confirming that this was a 'spying' operation. Clearly his display yesterday had tipped them off, and now they suspected him to be the Hawk, though, was it right to say they 'suspected' him, considering that he was indeed the killer? Either way, he had limited options.

He could have turned around, and acted like nothing was wrong, except now he couldn't. The fact that he was trying to lose them would be cause enough to come after him. So, he defaulted to option 'B'.

Eliminate the target, at whatever cost.

Something told him that he wasn't going to have the best night's sleep, now, or in the near future. No matter what happened, The Brotherhood had marked 'him' for death. He was out of time.

What was that old saying again?

No plan ever survives first contact with the enemy? A good bit of wisdom, with one catch, He had no idea who the 'enemy' was anymore.

**Later**

"That's what happens when you skip leg day." Said Zombina with a small smirk as she watched Doppel struggle to catch her breath, leaning against side of a building. Next to them, Tio could be seen gently patting Doppel's back while saying, "It's okay Pel-chan, I'm not the best at running either."

"Yeah right! Your long legs make running a freaking breeze, and Zombina doesn't feel the burn!" Said Doppel with a hiss, getting a grin from the undead woman as she flourished her submachine guns and said, "Perks of being undead."

"Could you 'not' be so loud?" Said a new voice. Out of the shadows stepped Smith, wearing a grey colored equivalent to M.O.N.'s uniform, with Manako following close behind.

Once they were together, Smith peeked around the corner of the building they were hiding behind, where a small warehouse could be seen. It looked to have been abandoned, but through the dim street lights, Smith saw the occasional grunt step out and quickly circle the building. Obviously, the Yakuza were holding some sort of meeting inside, but she wasn't really here for them.

She saw Yukito rush out of the cover of darkness, sprinting from the old house, across the street, then running up the side of the warehouse, before shooting out his hand and grabbing ahold of a brick sticking out from the others. Behind her, the others were peeking over, and watched in amazement as Yukito smoothly climbed up the side of the twenty meter tall building, using window sills and spaces created by missing bricks as hand and footholds as he scaled upwards.

"Yeesh...this guy is a freaking ninja or something." Muttered Doppel, before a soft click sounded behind her head, and a deep, unamused voice said, "He's something similar."

Smith and Zombina instantly turned with their guns at the ready, though they froze as they saw a group of men standing behind Doppel, with the apparent leader holding a pistol to the back of Doppel's head. His men had their own guns trained on the members of M.O.N., and upon realizing their dire situation, Smith growled and said, "Zombina...lower your guns."

The zombie girl glanced over in shock, while the black suited leader said, "Do as your boss says, or else I'll splatter her brains against the wall." He then glanced at Tio, who was glaring rather heatedly at him.

"Don't do anything stupid, after all, this trap wasn't for 'you'."

Zombina began cursing up a storm, before she slowly lowered her submachine guns to the ground, followed by Smith. One of the men came forward and collected them off the ground, wearily eyeing Tio as he passed her, before returning to his boss' side. Figuring she could buy some time for her team, Smith asked, "How did you know we were coming?"

To her shock, the man's scowl deepened as he said, "This trap wasn't meant for 'you', but the 'Hawk'. Now...come with us...you should at least know the truth before you die. If we hurry, perhaps we might see him at work."

**Within The Warehouse**

He watched as the last man stumbled to the ground, holding his own sword in his gut and coughing up blood as he died with the rest of his comrades. Around him, ten more bodies were strewn about on the floor, and with a flick of his wrist, his hidden blade slid back into his brace.

Growling he looked around the warehouse. These men were the grunts, and their boss was nowhere to be found.

He narrowed his eyes and activated his sixth sense, and to his shock, he saw more men closing in on the warehouse from all sides.

(This was a trap? Shit! Wait, what about...) With a curse, he glanced up, before running towards some stacked pallets.

By the time the first man had entered the warehouse, he was already hidden in the shadows above, balanced on a steel beam and looking down as the men filed in, shocked shouting echoing throughout the warehouse as they saw the bodies. As he looked among them for his target, his eyes widened in a mix of shock and horror at who else was with them.

Cursing, he began to reach for his belt.

This operation required some finesse.

**Meanwhile**

"Holy shit..." Muttered Doppel, voicing the thoughts of her team as they beheld the carnage. There had to be at least twelve dead men on the floor! They were being escorted by the boss and his men, and despite the shocked looks of his subordinates, the boss merely drew his sword and said, "Group up and fan out. He's still here."

He stopped two of the men and indicated to the members of M.O.N., while the rest grouped up and began to sweep the area, their guns at the ready.

He turned to Smith and said, "As you can see, you were out of your league. If he wanted to, he could have killed you all."

Glaring at their captor, Smith said, "And yet he didn't. He's more interested in hunting 'your' kind." This actually got a chuckle from the man, before he looked upwards and said...

"He is...though its not the Yakuza who are his targets."

At that moment, a clicking sound began to echo, as small black orbs fell from above, bouncing slightly and getting a few of everyone's attention. Then, all hell broke loose.

With loud bangs, the orbs exploded into huge clouds of smoke that caused many of the men to shout in alarm. A moment later, the members of M.O.N.'s eyes widened as they heard pained yelps and frantic screaming coming from the cloud of smoke. Every so often, they saw a flash and heard the loud bang of gunfire, but the panicked screams continued, until they suddenly stopped, ending with an audible thud of something heavy, a body, hitting the ground.

A silence passed, with the two men behind the M.O.N. members shakings slightly, while their boss yelled, "Come out of the smoke, or else I'll decapitate these girls! Starting with the Ogre!"

"You touch her, and I'll rip your guts out!" Yelled Zombina, though this got her a blade against her throat, the sharp steel digging into her flesh as the man said, "Scratch that...we'll see if that zombie show got it right on how to kill your kind."

At that moment, the hooded figure stepped out of the thinning smoke, blood splattering the hoodie, as a small blade could be seen peeking out of the sleeve. Seeing the Assassin, the man turned to his subordinates.

"Do 'not' interfere."

Getting a nod from his men, he turned back to the Assassin and said, "Drop the hood, or I'll follow through on my threat."

There was a short pause, before the hood was slowly pulled back, revealing Yukito's glaring visage. Behind him, the members of M.O.N.'s eyes widened, while the man chuckled and said, "It would seem both our plans have been foiled to some degree, but you know the old saying."

He stepped forward, grinning at the Assassin as they began to circle each other.

"I never would have thought that 'you' would have ever join the Assassins...Aedan."


	4. The Hawk Plummets

"Where the hell did you hear that name?" Asked 'Yukito' his expression turning dangerous, as well as his tone.

"Our Order finally found someone who knew you, or rather someone who's 'ancestor' knew you."

'That' definitely confused everyone on M.O.N., only to be shocked when the Assassin suddenly rushed forward, picking up one of the discarded katanas on the ground and swiftly swinging for the man's head. The man was fast enough to block the attack however, and for a moment, the two glared at each other, before they broke apart, and initiated a fierce battle of blades.

The man was no amateur, something Yukito figured out after their first clash. A few seconds passed, with the sound of clanging steel echoing throughout the building. Years of training allowed Yukito to anticipate the attacks, as well as the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that this man's fighting style was...familiar. It was also shocking for him to see that his own techniques were being fended off!

The man's suit did nothing to hinder his movement, as he deftly dodged Yukito's attacks and retaliated with his own. Yukito caught the strike in a blade lock and made to twist it out of his enemy's grasp, only for the Yakuza to draw his sword back and sheathe his weapon suddenly. Seeing this, the Assassin's eyes widened, and he instantly drew his weapon close to his body in preparation.

"Holy shit!" Said Doppel, watching as the man unsheathed his weapon and made to slice Yukito in half. Yukito cursed as their weapons clashed, feeling his bones rattle as the force sent him skidding backwards. On his end, the man's eyes widened in surprised as his Iaido failed to finish him off. Usually, that was a game ending technique, but it would seem that 'Yukito' had become more than familiar with kenjutsu.

Yukito let a small smirk form as he beheld the shocked expression and said, "It's been a 'long' time since I picked up a sword, but I still got it." Inside his mind however, he was cursing his luck. (Damnit! The bastard knows Iaijutsu?! This is almost as bad as when I faced Kojiro!)

The two rushed each other again, slashing as they passed, then spinning and engaging in another bout of swordplay. Each attack was blocked, then countered, then blocked again as they tested each other's defenses, with Yukito becoming more focused the longer this continued.

Annoyed, the man yelled, "All of your posturing, your countless excuses...and you ended up joining 'them' after all! I never took you to be a hypocrite!"

"After what I saw all those years ago...you think I would sit back and watch as you bastards continue to tear this world apart?! I won't let this world burn 'again'!"

Their weapon clashed rather loudly at the last word, with the man grunting and glaring at Yukito.

"You wasted so much time protecting the wrong things!"

Then he rushed forward again, with Yukito adopting a defensive stance and yelling, "Then put me out of my misery, you dog!"

Yukito deftly parried two strikes of the Yakuza's sword, then caught the third strike in a blade lock and pushed the wakizashi to the side, before he slammed the pommel of his katana into the man's face, causing the glasses to break and fall to the floor in pieces.

Grunting, he stumbled backwards, a hand held over his face. Yukito leapt forward, wanting to end this, but was shocked when the man knocked aside the his thrusting stab, suddenly recomposing himself and spinning around his flank! Yukito felt an all too familiar sharp, burning pain erupt on his back, causing him to curse before he tripped over one of the dead bodies strewn about.

From the sidelines, the man's minions chuckled, while Smith and her team watched in shock as the Assassin tumbled to the ground, sporting a slash wound to his back, and further staining his hoodie in blood. Against a normal man, that would be the end, though the Yakuza kept his blade unsheathed as he stared down at Yukito.

After a moment, the others watched as Yukito groaned and stood up, a soft yellow glow emanating from the wound on his back. Seeing this, Smith's eyes widened, and she muttered, "Regeneration...is this guy even human?" The rest of her team shared her sentiment, but the man simply nodded and said, "I see you're regeneration is still active."

With narrowed eyes, Yukito asked, "So, your 'his' descendant. Hanzo was the second to know of my...circumstance. I see the Templars are upping their training regiment if they're using his memories."

The man's grin seemed to widen. Before they both settled into a ready stance with their blades. A moment of pure silence passed, then another, before Yukito's form became a blur as he dashed forward. In less than a second, three slashes found themselves on the Yakuza's arms, causing him to cry out, before Yukito reappeared behind him, eyes devoid of emotion, instead, being intently focused as he swung down his sword.

At the last moment, the man rolled forward, getting only a minor scratch from the attack. As he got to his feet and turned, he was shocked to see Yukito's katana flying right for him! With a curse he swung his own sword and knocked the projectile aside, only for his vision to be obscured as Yukito threw down another smoke bomb.

Frantically, he looked around for the Assassin, but couldn't find any clue. With that, he decided to play dirty as well.

"I see the lessons have stuck with you from Iga! Too bad they proved useless when trying to save your lover!"

The small sound metal sliding against metal gave the man warning, and he leapt to the side to avoid his throat being skewered by the Assassin's hidden blade. Now able to see his enemy's outline, he swung for Yukito's exposed flank, but was shocked when his sword was actually parried by the smaller blade, being pushed aside, and leaving him open wide open!

Yukito moved fast, grabbing the Yakuza's right arm in an arm lock and with a twist, forcing his hand to release the wakizashi. The man watched as Yukito drew back his own arm, the hidden blade ready to finish him. With gritted teeth, the used his free hand and grabbed the Assassin's wrist as he went for the kill, directing the attack away from his throat and instead, into his abdomen, away from any vital spots.

Yukito, though shocked, began to push the man back, surprising him with his strength. Outside the thick cloud of smoke, everyone else was shocked to see both combatants suddenly emerge, with Yukito driving the man back, a blade in the Yakuza's gut!

They came to a stop when the man's back crashed against a pillar, with Yukito pulling out his blade and throwing the man to the ground. Breathing heavily, the Assassin began to make his way towards the groaning man, glaring daggers as he attempted to crawl away. Before he could reach him however, his body suddenly jerked, as a bullet found itself in his shoulder!

Gunshots began to ring throughout the warehouse, as the men holding the girls hostage began opening fire on the Assassin, horrifying the members of M.O.N. as the young man was pumped full of bullets.

With a yell, Zombina swiftly turned, landing an elbow into the first man's groin, causing him to hunch over, before she grabbed his collar and delivered a swift knee to the face, sending him sprawling backwards, his nose crooked and bleeding. The other man was surprised at this, and began to open fire against Zombina, who barely flinched as the bullets tore through her flak jacket, and leaving him wide open to Doppel wrapping him up with her long hair, before she tossed him like a ragdoll against the wall, where he fell limp to floor.

Seeing that the main boss was still incapacitated, the members of M.O.N. rushed to Yukito as he fell to the floor, with Zombina reaching him first and rolling him to his back.

"Hey! Yukito! We'll get you help! Just hold on!" Her only answer was a pained expression from the young man. Beside her, Smith was on one knee, looking down at the young man and displaying a surprising amount of calm as she asked, "Yukito...can you hear me?"

The young man slowly nodded, while Doppel, Manako, and Tio walked up to them, the Yakuza's boss being handcuffed and held under the Ogre's arm like a sack of potatoes. Seeing the state the Assassin was in, Manako turned to Smith and said, "I'll call for an ambulance, but...I don't think he'll make it."

Zombina gritted her teeth but tensed when they suddenly heard, "Asaka Police! Hands U-!"

Turning, they were all shocked to see the Chief himself, with a squad of geared up policemen behind him. Upon recognizing M.O.N., the Chief signaled for his men to stand down, before issuing his next order.

"All of you, fan out! If you see someone breathing, bring them in! Call in more ambulances!"

He then made his way to them, casting a glare at the barely conscious Yakuza in Tio's arm, before seeing the wounded man Zombina was holding. "I'm going to guess 'this' is the Hawk?"

At the sound of his voice, Yukito groaned and turned to the Chief, who's eyes widened as he saw who it was. "I-Impossible!" This confused the girls, with Smith asking, "Chief, is there something wrong?"

To their surprise, the man turned around and said, "Get me a damn stretcher! Now!"

"Chief. the hell is going on!?" Asked Doppel, with the man gritting his teeth and looking down at the barely conscious Yukito.

"That's what I intend to find out. They failed to notice the faint glow that appeared over his bullet wounds, which faded by the time the medical team arrived and loaded him onto the stretcher.

Minutes later, as the ambulance sped off with Yukito inside, the Chief turned to the still shocked members of M.O.N.

"I understand you girls must be tired, but please meet me back at the office, there's something I must show you." Too stunned to speak, Smith and her team only nodded, though Zombina took a moment to glare at the Yakuza boss as he was lead into his own ambulance, though handcuffed.

**Later**

In the end, the only other survivors were the two minions that Zombina and Doppel had knocked out, and M.O.N. was left with far more questions than answers as Smith drove them back to the office.

The silence in the car was broken when Doppel said, "That guy...who was he? I know he's 'Yukito' in our systems, he was called 'Aedan' by the Yakuza guy. Then there was the fact that he went all Ninja Assassin on those guys."

"I'm just hoping he makes it." Said Tio, fiddling with her jacket's zipper. The statement caused everyone to glance at her in surprise, with the Ogre blushing at the attention and saying, "I mean...he technically saved us back there...and he followed the Yakuza's demands and practically blew his cover for us."

That made the girls take pause, with Smith deciding to contribute with, "Well, he has some sort of healing ability, meaning that he's more than likely a Liminal and that he's under 'our' jurisdiction. When he becomes stable enough to talk...we'll question him."

Zombina and Doppel shared a glance, both with many a thought swirling in their heads.

**Back At The Warehouse**

As the police continued to guard the perimeter of the crime scene, waiting for investigators to arrive...another was watching the proceedings from the shadows, eyes narrowed as their finger pressed against their earpiece.

"Report, Hanzo has been taken into custody. How do we proceed?"

_"Continue to observe. Hanzo will be extracted soon enough. What is the status of the target?"_

"Hanzo's minions gave him the firing squad treatment, but if his healing factor has anything to say about it..."

_"Then we will proceed as normal. In the meantime, work to contain any of our involvement while our agent prepares to retrieve our asset."_


	5. Setback

_"Last night, Asaka police came upon a gruesome sight. A warehouse, full of dead men, all connected to the local Yakuza. Members of M.O.N. were the first to come upon the scene, and were able to apprehend the leader of the group, Hanzo Masanari, known throughout the seedier neighborhoods as 'Wakizashi Hanzo'. No new information has come out, but many are already suspecting the 'Hawk's' involvement in this latest event of bloodshed..."_

Kimihito Kurusu glanced sideways at the small television as he prepared breakfast for him and his homestays. Ever since the news began reporting the activities of this Hawk fellow, the girls had become a little more...protective...to say the least. They seemed to forget that this killer went after criminals, something Kimihito had...mixed feelings about. The Yakuza were indeed brutal, and if he was honest, they wouldn't be missed. But they were still people.

His eyes narrowed as he recalled his parents. They were...consumed by their work...unable to tear themselves away from it and spend time with him, all throughout his childhood. Hell, they essentially left him alone here to pursue their work abroad. When he was younger, he thought to involve himself in whatever it was they were doing, if only to be closer to them. They quickly shut his efforts down, with his father in particular harshly telling him to mind his own business.

After that, Kurusu no longer thought of them as his parents. No, they were just strangers now, who happened to live in the same house as him. Thanks to that, he couldn't imagine a life now without the girls living with him. Dysfunctional as they were, their affections were genuine, and rather welcome in his once empty home.

What would they do once they returned...'if' they returned.

That's when his phone buzzed, and Kimihito was quick to check the new message, thinking it to be Smith asking for some crazy favor. Or god forbid, dropping another girl on him.

To his shock, it was actually...

**Meanwhile**

A dark room, with only a lightbulb hanging above them, illuminating the table between them. Usually, in this setting, 'he' would be on the other end of the table, doing the questioning. Now, however, he was the one being questioned.

In front of him, the Chief of police sat, with his arms crossed as he regarded him. A moment of silence passed, before the man said, "Your name...it isn't Yukito...am I correct in this?"

"I have no reason to speak to you. Just send me to jail and be done with it." He muttered, maintaining a neutral expression.

Ignoring this, the Chief began to reach into his pocket.

"Based on Smith's report, Hanzo refferd to you by a different name...Aedan. However, you also have a third name...Adam...right?"

This got a reaction from the young man, in the form of narrowed eyes, which then widened in surprise when the Chief suddenly laid a picture down in front of him. It took only a moment for him to recognize the image.

In it was Yukito, wearing an American world war two uniform, and to his left was another soldier, who was clearly of asian descent. Both of them were covered in dirt and grime, but smiling. Pointing to young man who resembled himself, the Chief smirked at his shocked expression.

"That...is my grandfather. You two were close as brothers after you took him out of the internment camps in America. You signed on as soldiers, and were lucky enough to be assigned to the same squad, Eagle squadron. You can imagine my shock when I saw your face. You haven't aged a day."

He was met with silence, as 'Yukito' continued to stare down at the picture in shock.

**Meanwhile**

"Talk about a plot twist!" Said Doppel, her eyes wide and her jaw slack. Around her, the rest of M.O.N. were just as shocked, watching the proceeding from the other side of a one way window that allowed them to see inside the interrogation room. Beside her, Zombina muttered, "'That's' why he seemed so familiar to me! Chief has that picture framed in his office!"

"Just how old is he? There aren't alot of Liminals I know of that are 'immortal'." Muttered Smith, adjusting her glasses.

Inside, they heard the Chief ask, "Be straight with me here...what is your name...and how old are you? Based on this picture...you have to be 'at least' a hundred years old."

Instead of silence, he got a rueful chuckled from the man, before he muttered, "A hundred years? A drop on the bucket...I'm way...'way' older. As for my name...I abandoned it long ago...but I 'used' to go by Aedan."

**Outside**

"So...'that's' his real name." Muttered Manako, recalling how Hanzo seemed to know him. Was Hanzo the same as Aedan? Then again, what was with that talk of being someone's descendant? And what was it about a 'training program'?

Smith crossed her arms as she looked at the now named Aedan, still racking her brain for an immortal Liminal type. But she was drawing a blank.

Their attention was refocused on Aedan when he said, "I had alot of respect for your grandfather, Toshiro, and I regret not checking up on him after the war ended. You know my name, but my age...may surprise you. I simply ask for 'your' name, Chief."

**Inside**

The Chief crossed his arms, and said, "Toshiro, I was named after my grandfather."

"Too bad niether of you can rock a moustache." Said Aedan with a grin, causing the everyone else's eyes to widen, except for the Chief, who only sighed and said, "You sound like my wife."

Aedan chuckled, before he straightened and said, "In truth, I don't have an exact number in my head. There are times I fell into an inactive state, usually after my healing factor has been pushed to the limit, forcing me to go into deep sleep while my body heals. Also, my mind...filters alot of my memories. I remember much...but to a general degree. Even immortals are unable to remember 'every' single detail."

"How far back can you recall?"

"Well...I knew Adam and Eve..."

The silence that followed was 'more' than a little deafening, with Doppel turning to her team and mouthing, "What...the...fuck."

The Chief, Toshiro, was of the same mindset, and leaned forward with a shocked expression. "You knew 'Adam and Eve'...'the' Adam and Eve?"

"My name...Aedan...I was named for the place I was born...Eden."

"Eden!? As in the Garden of Eden!?"

Aedan's expression darkened, and he scoffed as he said, "Believe me...Eden couldn't be further from a garden...before or after 'it' happened."

"After 'what' happened?" Asked Toshiro, his mind still reeling.

For a moment, Aedan seemed to be in pain, as his eyes narrowed and he looked off to the side. Then he said, "I've said too much. It's all in the distant past...ancient history. Besides...I'm the last of my kind...and those memories should die with me."

"And what exactly is 'your kind'? What sort of Liminal are you? Why are you in Japan...in Asaka?"

The girls on the other side of the window flinched at how fast Aedan's head snapped back towards the Chief, and with an almost crazed look in his eyes, he said, "I...have to protect him. They're looking for evidence...a reason to take him."

Everyone was on edge, with the Chief's expression hardening at Aedan's words.

"Who? Who are you protecting? From who?"

A moment of silence passed, before Aedan said, "I just learned of this. It was incredibly unlikely, but I 'did' have a family a long time ago. I...have a descendant in this city. His name...is Kimihito Kurusu. And right now he's being targeted."

Once again, the silence that followed was practically tangible, with Manako nearly fainting, and Smith's glasses falling off her face. Before another word could be spoken...gunshots began to echo, as well as yelling and screaming, putting everyone on edge.

Within the interrogation room, Aedan's eyes narrowed, as the Chief cursed and stood up from his seat. "What the hell is going on?!"

"They're here." Muttered Aedan, causing the Chief to look back at him with a glare as he asked, "Who?"

"The ones who are targeting my descendant. Your men aren't going to be able to take them on...but I can level the playing field."

A moment passed, before the Chief looked down at the picture of his grandfather and namesake, then he turned to the one way window.

"Smith, get in here, and bring the key!"

**Meanwhile**

"Not what I was expecting, but I won't complain." Muttered a small woman as she snuck past the rushing group of police officers. She was a goblin girl, with dark green skin, long dark hair and sharp yellow eyes. Her face was dotted with freckles, and decorated with deep red tattoos, with one of her fangs poking out and downwards. She wore a black business suit with red trimming, and black stockings that covered her legs.

The higher ups had ordered her, and a few others, to extract Hanzo before the police could interrogate him, and as such, she had the Yakuza under her command attack the police department from the front, while she snuck into the back entrance. Shorting out the security lock had been easy, but something felt off to her, as if she was being...

"Hey there!" The goblin turned her head towards the voice in shock, where she saw Zombina aiming a submachine gun her way, a grin on her face as she said, "I don't remember 'you' working here."

Eyes narrowing, she rolled to into the crook of the wall for cover just as the zombie girl opened fire, lighting up the hallway while she unclipped her own small pistol from her right leg. From behind Zombina, the rest of M.O.N. emerged, as well as the Chief, who had his own pistol at the ready as he yelled, "Drop the weapon! No one else has to get hurt!"

A moment of silence passed, before a small canister was tossed out from her cover. It took Manako a half second to recognize what it was.

"Flashbang!"

The warning came too late, as the canister exploded with a loud bang and a flash of light that caused everyone to flinch and curse, with Manako gritting her teeth in pain due to her sensitive eye. Among them, Smith was the first to recover, and she saw, to her horror, the goblin girl standing there, aiming her pistol's sight and her finger moving to the trigger!

Before she could pull however, a small knife found itself lodged into her shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain and fall back, dropping her gun and clutching at the handle of the blade, glaring at something behind Smith. Turning, the woman saw the now named Aedan sprinting down the hall, wearing his hidden blade on his arm as he leapt over Tio's crouched form and tackled the goblin.

The two went sprawling, and grappled for a moment before she got her leg between them and kicked him in the chest and off of her. Leaping to her feet, she yanked out the small throwing knife and tossed it aside, before gritting her teeth and saying, "Damn Assassin!"

Unfazed, he flicked his wrist and the hidden blade extended. As he advanced on her, he kicked her gun back towards the others, taking it out of the equation, and narrowing his eyes when he saw her adopt a defensive stance. Years of experience told him that she was no stranger to close quarters, and he held himself at the ready, before he rushed forward.

By now, the others were recovering, save for Manako, who was leaning against Tio for support as her vision slowly returned. Meanwhile, the others watched as Aedan attempted to stab his foe with his blade, only for the smaller fighter to smoothly dodge or swat aside his attacks. Zombina cursed, watching as Aedan's larger size hindered his movement in the hallway, though he barely reacted when she landed what could be considered pot shots.

She raised her guns again, though the Chief held up a hand to stop her and said, "Let him handle this. We'd only get in the way. In the meantime, help the boys outside take out the Yakuza."

The zombie girl looked to Smith, who only nodded. "Last night is a clear example that we would just distract him."

Well...if 'that' didn't drive the point home...

From the corner of his vision, Aedan saw the others exiting the scene via a connecting hallway, and inwardly sighed in relief before focusing all his attention on the goblin girl in front of him. Attempting another stab, he grunted as she caught his wrist, then, with a surprising amount of strength, she actually dragged and threw him into a small office room, where he crashed into a flipped over a desk, knocking everything to the floor as she stepped into the space, slamming the door shut.

Aedan stood up from the floor, but neither made a move towards each other. Instead, she jerked her head with audible cracks sounding, before she loosened her tie, shed her black and red suit top, then popped a few buttons of her blouse, revealing some cleavage.

A small smirk escaped her as she saw him look briefly, before he blinked and refocused on her eyes. If she was honest...that hoodie did a good job in hiding his own muscles, and his somewhat 'battle worn' look was sort of...

She jerked out of her thoughts when he suddenly kicked the desk in front of him, his shocking strength revealing itself as it slid towards her, forcing her to leap over, and leaving her open to a boot to the gut as Aedan ran forward and hit her with a flying kick, which sent her flying back into the desk she just dodged. For a moment, she struggled to breathe, and saw stars as the back of her head hit the edge of the desk. Thankfully, she had the good sense to force herself to roll to the side, just as Aedan's hidden blade impaled the wood where her head had been.

Aedan scowled as his blade failed to dislodge from the wood, and cursed when his wrist was kicked by the goblin girl, a small snap accompanying the sight of his blade actually snapping in half, the business end being stuck in the wood as he gripped his now broken wrist, the radius being partially fractured.

He glared over at the goblin girl as she leapt to her feet, and with gritted teeth, he squeezed the bone as a soft yellow light glowed beneath the skin of his wrist, and a moment later, he let out a deep breath as he released and shook his hand, testing it before nodding and settling into a ready stance across from her.

She narrowed her eyes, and for the first time, spoke.

"I see...the rumors about your healing are true, and it looks like you can do focused healing. You're a walking Shroud of Eden."

Surprised to hear her speak, Aedan took a deep breath, then let it out, before yanking off the vambrace and tossing it aside and Narrowing her eyes at his lack of response, she slowly began to inch forward, with Aedan doing the same.

As she stared him down, she internally hoped that Hanzo was making good use of this distraction. With that, both combatants attacked.

**Meanwhile**

"These guys are amateurs!" Yelled Zombina, firing her rifles and landing disabling shots against the Yakuza outside. As each man fell, her human colleagues moved in and took the injured men into custody. Manako was doing the same, thinning the enemy ranks with her sniping skills, while Tio was acting as a living fort with her large shield.

Next to Zombina, both Smith and the Chief cursed as they ducked under cover, with Smith yelling, "They're 'idiots'! What sort of gang just straight up attacks a police station!?"

"It was clearly just an extreme distraction. I believe they wanted us out here while the goblin snuck in through the back. She wasn't expecting Aedan however. Best guess...she was here to free her Yakuza friend, Hanzo."

This caused Zombina to briefly pause, then ask, "Did...did we leave anyone to guard him?"

**Meanwhile**

The last cop fell flat on his face, a pool of blood forming as his killer stepped over the fresh corpse, clutching a key in his hand, dressed in black tactical gear, including a helmet and mask. Two others were dressed in similar fashion, and the floor was covered in shallow holes, evidence of gunfire. As the first man approached the holding cell, he saw two people, the Yakuza known as Izumo, and Hanzo, the latter of whom merely stared at the man outside his cell as he muttered, "Well, that was fast."

"You're a valuable asset, Hanzo, do you honestly think that we would leave you to rot in prison?"

Izumo, though unnerved by their appearance, gathered enough courage to ask, "You'll take me too, right?"

Hanzo and the first man shared a glance, before the latter raised a silenced pistol and unloaded the last few clips into the cell.

Hanzo didn't even spare his subordinate a second glance as he was released from the holding cell, before he was promptly escorted out of the area. "I imagine our bosses are none too pleased with our work being interrupted?"

"We've fought this war for centuries Hanzo...this is just a setback."

"What of the Assassin? He's here as well." Asked the man, narrowing his eyes and clenching his fists. Perhaps he was more than a little miffed that he 'technically' lost the fight against Aedan.

"He's not important right now. We'll take care of him and the rest of his kind later."

That statement only caused Hanzo to narrow his eyes. How many times have they said 'that' throughout history? How many 'setbacks' have they suffered?


	6. Stubborn Nature

"Okay...can we call a time out?" Asked the goblin girl, leaning against a ruined half of the desk, her hand bleeding due to her previous grip on some glass shards. Aedan merely grabbed his dislocated shoulder, and jerked it back into its socket, before he began to slowly advance on her again. All over his arms, cuts were healing, as well as a long one across his cheek. Seeing this, she growled and said, "Hey, I called time out!", before she attempted to kick his legs out from under him. Aedan merely intercepted the attack with a kick of his own, before angling his leg and delivering a swift boot to the goblin's chest, the force of the attack sending her crashing through the desk half she'd been leaning against.

Aedan heard her groan in pain as she pushed herself up to her feet, and felt sympathy for her, but quickly schooled his expression as reached down and grabbed her in a headlock. Of course, she struggled, and clawed against his arms as he increased the pressure against her throat. Her legs kicked out as she opened her mouth, trying desperately to breath in what oxygen she could. Aedan continued holding on, not even flinching when her nails began to claw in the skin of his arm, or when she elbowed him in the ribs, all in the attempt to make him release her.

Soon, her struggles began to slow, and her body started to go slack as he continued to cut off her air supply. Aedan then felt her body slump against his as she finally lost consciousness, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he released her, as opposed to snapping her neck right then and there.

As he looked down at the unconscious goblin, he stretched out with his senses, and narrowed his eyes as he sensed Hanzo leaving the area, with a few others to boot. They were really going to leave their comrade here?

(She was probably on the lower end of the totem pole, meaning she won't have any valuable information for me.)

He then noticed that the gunfire outside was beginning to die down. The Yakuza were likely being rounded up at this moment, meaning it wouldn't be long before the police refocused on him. He was in a tough spot, and he growled in annoyance as his mind raced to find a way out of this.

He took another look down at the goblin girl, before he muttered, "Damn it! "

**Minutes Later**

"Damn it!" Yelled Zombina as she looked around the destroyed office. The Yakuza had been taken care of, but now...Aedan was nowhere to be found. Hell, the goblin girl was gone too! The place was a wreck. The desk was shattered into pieces, there were many holes in the drywall, and glass littered the floor, courtesy of the destroyed pictures that once hug on the wall. There were also spots of blood on the wall and floor, with some of the glass shards also being covered in blood. It looked like some of the larger pieces were used as makeshift knives.

Feeling something beneath her boot, Zombina glanced down, and saw that she was stepping on a blade, with a closer look revealing it to be Aedan's hidden blade, now broken and left behind. As she picked it up off the floor, she also saw the abandoned vambrace that once housed the blade a few meters away.

At that moment, Doppel stepped in, and whistled at the damage on display. "Yeesh, this guy doesn't pull his punches! You would think he wouldn't hit a girl...but..."

Zombina shook her head at this and said, "Well, they're both gone now. What's the situation downstairs?"

At this, Doppel hissed and shook her head. "The Chief is cursing up a storm. Hanzo is gone, and that Izumo guy was shot to death inside the cell. The guys we had guarding them...well..."

Zombina cursed, filling in the blanks for herself. Nothing was worse than burying your fellow cops, something she knew the Chief hated. This would put him in a sour mood for a while, no doubt.

"We're back to square one then..." She muttered, getting a nod from Doppel.

"Even so, we have a lead." Said Smith, not a smirk to be seen as she adjusted her sunglasses. Her stern attitude of late was surprising to the members of M.O.N. It was kind of creeping them out that she was so serious for so long. However, Doppel was able to catch on to what Smith was implying, while Zombina quirked an eyebrow and asked, "What lead?"

"In case you've forgotten, Aedan told us two very important things. One...he's immortal. Two...he's here protecting his descendant, Kimihito."

"This is all so fucking weird! Should we tell him?" Muttered Zombina, holding her head in her hand as she tried, and failed, to comprehend it all. Just when she thought Loverboy couldn't get any stranger, it turns out he's descended from an immortal assassin?

"For now...keep it under wraps. The Chief wants us to watch over Kimihito again. If Aedan is here to protect him, then he won't be far." Said Smith, with Zombina groaning at the thought of 'more' guard duty! Then she remembered something...

"What do you think he meant when he said 'they' were after Kimihito. Who was he talking about?"

"When we see him again, we'll be sure to ask." Muttered Smith, before heading out to help wrap up this whole debacle, followed closely by Doppel.

Zombina moved as well, until a small glint caught her eye, causing her to take a closer look. To her shock she saw...a necklace?

**Break**

Days would go by, with the public being horrified, then enraged by the actions of the Yakuza. Where before they were feared, the blatant act of terrorism quickly eroded whatever influence they had in Asaka. Along with this, Hanzo was now at large, with the man being placed on the National Police Agency's most wanted list after his escape.

To anyone living in the city, this was the biggest thing to happen all year. However, there was one person who was completely out of the loop. A Dryad by the name of Kii. Though her opinion on humanity had noticeably softened, she was still wary of any humans who entered her forest, and as such, she kept to herself and stayed out of the affairs of the nearby city.

Kii herself definitely fit the bill as a Dryad, as she appeared to be a mix between plant and human. She was a woman with a fair complexion, with red markings on the corner of her eyes, with her hair resembling fresh green leaves, and her appendages that were plantlike, in that they resembled bark. The Dryad was also without clothing, with only a pair of leaves that covered her assets. Rather poorly at that.

Kii herself was currently taking a nap in a tiny clearing within the forest, bathing in the small circle of sunlight that managed to shine through the thick canopy above, when the sound of a twig snapping caused her eyes to snap open, and she immediately adopted a defensive martial arts stance. Well...a poor imitation of one. Some people lost their manga in the forest, and she only had 'those' for reference in regards to combat.

Her eyes scanned the nearby undergrowth, waiting for an attack, but she still flinched when the bushes before her shook, and out leapt...a small bunny rabbit?

Upon seeing the small herbivore, Kii let out a sigh of relief, then smiled at the small creature as it looked around the small clearing, searching for food. It was quite adorable, and Kii actually knelt down and held out her hand, hoping the little critter would come to her.

For a moment, it looked at her, and Kii held her breath as she waited to see what it would do...when something suddenly shot out from the canopy and struck the poor thing in the side, killing it!

Kii saw a makeshift arrow sticking out of the poor thing, and instantly yelled, "Show yourself! You trespass upon 'my' territory!"

A moment passed, before a figure suddenly leapt down in front of her, and to her annoyance, it was a human! He was a young, tall man, with striking gold eyes and pale skin, wearing a black tank top with dark brown pants and boots. In his hand he held a wooden bow, which appeared to be hand made, with a small quiver of arrows fashioned from sturdy sticks, sharpened to a deadly point. Strangely enough, Kii thought he resembled Kimihito Kurusu, if only slightly.

Despite her righteous anger, he maintained a calm expression as he knelt down and picked up his fresh kill. She saw another pair of small animals hanging from his belt, another rabbit, and a bird. As he tied the rabbit to his belt, he calmly said, "I'm sorry for the intrusion. As you can see, I'm hunting."

"How long have you been in this forest? You don't look like someone fresh out of the city." Said Kii, watching as he inspected the arrow used for the kill. Finding it satisfactory, he replaced it in his quiver and said, "Oh...just a few days. Things have gotten crazy in the city, and I'm simply waiting for everything to...cool down. I figured this forest would be as good a place as any to go camping."

A silence followed, with the two staring at each other, and Kii eventually huffing and making a shooing motion with her hand. "As long as you respect the forest and actually intend to make use of your kills, I have no problem with you staying here."

"A reasonable request. May I have the name of this forest's protector?"

A moment of tense silence passed, before Kii narrowed her eyes as she said, "My name is Kii."

"My name is Yukito."

"I care not for your name. Now begone."

He simply nodded his head, and as quick as he appeared, he was gone, leaving Kii to glare at the spot he'd been standing. She supposed that she could...tolerate his presence here, as long as they kept their interactions brief. She could also sympathize with wanting to get away from the city, as there were some humans who actually preferred to be alone.

**Later**

Aedan...no...Yukito took a moment to prepare himself as he approached a small cave. Within the forest, there were a few small waterfalls, and behind this one was a hidden cave that suited his purpose well enough. Besides, the sound of the running water was rather calming, and added to the serene picture. He wondered...would she have...?

He shook his head, banishing the memory before he could get lost in it. Ever since he discovered the Kurusu's blood ties to himself, Yukito found his mind wandering, going back just over a century to when he met...

"Yo...is that you!? Hurry up and get in here! I'm starving!"

The annoyed yelling caused his wandering mind to snap back into focus, before he schooled his expression and entered the cave. It was a bit of a squeeze, but he soon found himself standing in the dark, spacious cavern. With stalagmites creating a natural fence that separated his little campsite from the running water from the waterfall. Stalactites hung hear pillars of stone, and moss grew freely, giving off an earthy scent that Yukito both enjoyed, and found useful in deterring predators.

Tied to a rather large stalagmite was his prisoner, the goblin girl. Well, her name was actually Glynda, and she wasn't tied as much as 'chained' to the stone. Days of interrogation had proven what he already suspected. Glynda was a low level operative in the Templar Order. She had sufficient field skill, but she was told practically nothing in regards to large scale operations, such as Abstergo's reason for suddenly upping their activity in Japan.

Nope, relatively new, and was just barely above the average grunt in their hierarchy.

Hell, the more they talked, the more Yukito found out that she really didn't give a damn about their goals. She was in it for the money. She was also incredibly stubborn, refusing to say where she got their training, or how they recruited her.

Back in the present, Yukito noticed that she was shivering slightly, and he made his way over to the pile of sticks he'd gathered the other day, adding them to the nearly dead fire. As he sat, she rolled her eyes and said, "Your so slow. Back in my village, our hunters could nab a boar in less than an hour!"

He quirked an eyebrow at that. He'd been to a few goblin villages in his time, but this was the first time she actually told him something without being asked. Seeing his expression, she grinned and said, "Yep...my Ma would lead the hunting parties, and every time she came back with enough to feed our village for a week."

"She sounds quite skilled." Said Yukito, removing his kills from his belt and procuring his hunting knife. Seeing the animals, she rolled her eyes.

"You didn't even kill anything big. Just more rabbits and birds."

"Then maybe I'll bring you a wolf tomorrow." Muttered Yukito, gutting the first rabbit and stoking the fire to really get it going.

Glynda sighed and simply watched as he prepared his kills. She wouldn't lie, it was rather impressive that he knew how to hunt as he did, with a handmade bow and arrows no less. She was also annoyed with herself for not taking their fight more seriously. Usually, her small size was an advantage in fights, as most humans had little experience fighting someone who only reached their stomach at most, but this guy instantly adapted, and she knew that if wasn't still recovering from being shot the other night, he would have mopped the floor with her.

Her eyes then narrowed at the fact that Abstergo made no effort to get her before or after her capture. So now here she was, a prisoner of an Assassin, with the Templars not giving a damn about her.

(Bastards! They sent me on a suicide mission! They 'knew' I would lose! They just wanted that Hanzo guy!) She clenched her fists and looked up at the hanging stalactites. The only thing that kept her from spilling what little she knew was that...if the Templars found out she'd talked...her village would be erased.

She took another look at the Assassin, and found herself being grateful that he wasn't the 'torturing' type, as he simply asked questions. Of course, he threatened that if she tried to run, his mercy would only be a quick death. He also seemed to be...on edge. Of course, who wouldn't be after all the crazy shit that happened...but this felt different for some reason.

"How do you want it cooked? Well done? Medium rare?" Asked Yukito, prepping the skillet over the fire as he began removing the bird's feathers, and bringing her back to the present.

"Medium rare." Muttered Glynda. He only allowed her the use of one hand to eat, and he kept a constant eye on her when she did, so eating became awkward, not that she'd deny his cooking. He had quite the skill as a chef.

"You mentioned your mother, but I don't recall anything about your father." Said Yukito suddenly, breaking her train of thought and causing her eyes to narrow as she muttered, "He doesn't matter..."

And like that...Yukito chose to back off before she shut down completely. The next half hour was full of awkward silence, though Glynda, feeling antsy at hearing only the crackling fire, decided to break the silence by asking, "So...where did you learn to hunt?"

She was relieved to see him smirk and say, "I thought 'I' was asking the questions here."

"Aw come on! Just tell me! You're actually good at it!" She whined.

"Can you at least 'act' your age?" Yukito muttered, the smirk never leaving his face.

"Screw you!"

"I might let you."

Her green skin turned noticeably red at that, and Yukito chuckled at how quickly she got flustered. He found out long ago how to deal with stubborn people, with Kassandra being...!

Glynda became alarmed at how quickly the smile left his face, replaced by a pained expression as his hand clenched at his chest, as if he was grasping at something. It was scary how quickly he shifted in emotion, and perhaps Stockholm Syndrome was starting to kick in, but she felt sympathy tug at her as he cleared his throat and schooled his expression into one of apathy.

The next day, Yukito was once again on the hunt, remaining still as he waited for prey below. Despite her smaller size, Glynda practically inhaled all their food, something Yukito found both amusing and annoying. He was practically hunting for three people, and he really didn't want to anger the Dryad by taking more than his fair share.

(Perhaps I should start hunting for bigger game? No, they stray too close to the city limits, and I'd hate to run into a wildlife protector.)

He sighed, then looked up at some of the leaves shading him in the higher part of the canopy.

"I wonder...how 'you' would have dealt with humans now knowing the truth about liminals. Meh...you wouldn't really give a damn about it...or that stupid law." Again, his hand reached for his chest, and he scowled at the empty feeling, both within and without.

How did he not notice that it was missing? It was too late to get it now. No doubt the police were holding onto it, or worse, some bastard took it and pawned it off. Closing his eyes, he allowed a thin smile to form as he thought of ways she would have reacted.

(If she was alive, she'd smack me upside the head for losing it. She was embarrassed enough to have her picture taken, then I go and lose it.)

The sound of crunching leaves caused his eyes to snap open before he glanced down, and to his shock, saw a male, spotted deer! It was grazing below his tree, causing Yukito to narrow his eyes as he realized that he couldn't get a good shot at it due to the awkward angle, as well as some branches being in the way.

Inwardly sighing, slowly hung his bow and quiver on an adjacent branch, and began reaching for his knife, keeping his eyes focused on the unsuspecting animal. There was no way he could pass this up.

Meanwhile, down below, and out of sight, Kii peeked out from behind a tree, watching as the deer she'd been following stopped its trek and began grazing beneath a tree. She'd been watching this one for an hour now, seeing it separate from the rest of the herd and wanting to observe...how it...?

From her position, she saw some movement in the treetops, and her eyes widened as she saw Yukito, holding a knife at ready and slowly moving down from the higher branches. He was rather graceful, not making a sound, and with no shaking of his limbs as he carefully positioned himself above the unsuspecting deer.

Part of Kii wanted the deer to get away, but she couldn't help but respect the skill of a hunter, and thought it wasn't her place to interfere with nature's law. At least he didn't use guns during his hunting. She wasn't too fond of loud noises.

"Hey Kii!" Yelled a voice behind the Dryad, startling her, the deer, and Yukito, who cursed loudly as the creature instantly bounded into the thicker part of the forest, disappearing from sight as Kii mentally prepared herself and turned around to face the one responsible.

Speaking of loud noises...

There stood Polt, a cheerful expression on her face as she jogged in place, clearly in the middle of her mid-day run. She was a Kobold who appeared as an almost human woman, save for a few extra features; namely, her wolfish nose, ears and tail. She was also covered in fur and wore midriff revealing black shirt with her sports club's name, as well as an unzipped track coat on top, denim hot pants with thigh straps on both legs. She also wore wristbands and a dog collar around her neck as accessories.

Polt wasn't surprised to see Kii glaring at her so fiercely, but she was shocked when Yukito suddenly leapt down from the trees, landing smoothly in a crouched position before making his way over to the two.

"Well, so much for that." He grumbled, before he studied Polt with narrowed eyes. Polt herself chuckled nervously as she said, "Whoops. I thought Kii was out here by herself. Sorry."

Yukito shrugged, before he grinned and said, "Glad to see I can hide from a Kobold. I'm guessing by your gear that you're out here for a run?"

"Yep! Glad to see someone else enjoying nature. I can see that you're no slouch either...you've got a healthy muscle tone! The name's Polt!"

"I...ummm...thank you? My name is Yukito."

Kii watched as Yukito and Polt began to indulge in some small talk, with the Dryad becoming annoyed as her once quiet moment was hijacked by a human, and the annoying Kobold. As her patience waned, she made her displeasure known by sighing loudly and crossing her arms, prompting the two to glance at her, with Polt sheepishly grinning and rubbing the back of her head.

"Sorry Kii. I just wanted to say hello. I forgot that you preferred the quiet."

"Then keep running." Muttered Kii, prompting Yukito to quirk an eyebrow at the Dryad's cold tone, while Polt, unabated, simply waved and continued her jogging through the forest, leaving Yukito and Kii alone.

For a moment, they simply stared at each other, before Kii huffed and turned away. "That was also your cue to leave, human."

Instead of doing that, Yukito actually looked to her and said, "May I ask you something, Miss Kii?"

The Dryad paused, then slowly turned to face him, maintaining an apathetic gaze. Yukito maintained his own and crossed his arms as he asked. "Where does your disdain for humanity come from?"

A tense silence passed, with Kii eyeing him dangerously, her posture stiff, while Yukito simply waited for a response. When she turned to fully face him, Yukito put a little more effort in not allowing his eyes to stray from her face, due to her lack of clothing. Instead of attacking him, she actually spoke to him.

"The first humans I met...tried to sell me as something exotic. They took one look at me and didn't see a person...they saw profit. I was abducted, along with many other Liminal children, and our 'owners' were prepared to sell us, except something went wrong. They were caught by the Cultural Exchange Program, and the children were saved...except for me. I was left behind. I was later saved, by someone I consider a sister, and planted here so that I would be safe and nourished, and the rest is history."

She watched his expression shift slightly at the mention of the traffickers, and narrowed her eyes as she saw a brief look of...regret? She chose not to dwell on it, instead deciding to drive her point home.

"Since then...I try to keep my distance from you humans. I know they're not all evil, but considering my past experiences...I'd prefer to keep my distance. Does 'that' satisfy your curiosity?"

After a moment, Yukito nodded, relaxing his posture and turning to take his leave. Kii was about to follow suit, when he said something...rather shocking.

"You know...part of me agrees with you. Sometimes I wondered if the world would have been better off without them."

She turned to face him, but he was once again gone, leaving her confused. It was strange enough to meet a human as...recluse as Yukito, but the way he spoke just now...the way he spoke of humans...was he himself 'not' human?

(Is he also a Liminal?) She thought. She wanted to follow him, to demand clarification, but she decided to let it be. She had no way to track him down, and she needed some solitude to collect herself. Recounting the painful memory of her abduction seemed to drain her.

She wasn't the only one.

Later

He knew something was wrong the moment he approached the cave's entrance. There was no annoyed yell for food, and his senses warned him of danger as he entered. His suspicion was validated when he saw Glynda's stalagmite, the chain wrapped tightly around the stone, except there was no prisoner!

Instantly, he stretched out with his sixth sense. The already dark cave turned even darker in his vision, save for a bright yellow trail that lead from the stalagmite, towards the cave's exit. Next to the stalagmite, he noticed a thin rib bone, likely from one of the animals they ate yesterday, and apparently used to pick the lock. How she managed to free a hand...he would ask when he caught her again.

Sighing, he turned around and dashed out of the cave, following the highlighted trail that his vision revealed to him.

Curse that girl and her stubborn nature!


	7. Does It Count?

**Kurusu Household**

"Darling...just what is it that your parents do?" These words left a confused Miia's mouth as she watched the technicians and construction men renovating the latest room. The past few days had been...interesting. Kimihito was quick to warn his homestays that his parents had hired these men's services, installing some sort of machine that they wanted their son to test. Next to Miia, an equally confused Kimihito watched with narrow eyes as some very expensive tech was carried into the house. In the center of the room was a rather large...bed of sorts, resembling a tanning bed, except there was no cover.

As for Miia's question, Kimihito shrugged and said, "They work for some company called Abstergo. That's all I really know. They made it a point to keep me out of the loop."

"Then what is that strange contraption's purpose here?" Asked a calm, yet stern voice behind them. There stood Centorea, crossing her arms and glaring at the aforementioned contraption as it was set down by the workers. Kimihito glanced at the strange machine, feeling a slight shiver run down his spine as he glanced at it.

"Its able to read genetic memory, according to what my dad told me."

"Genetic memory?" asked Miia.

"Essentially, it can allow the user to relive the lives of their ancestors."

"Impossible!" Exclaimed Centorea, though she felt some excitement at the prospect. Oh what it would be like to fight alongside her noble ancestors! On her end, Miia was not too keen on reliving her past relatives lives. She 'did not' want to see her tribe's countless orgies throughout history. She then turned to Kimihito and asked, "So, your parents want you to relive one of your ancestor's lives. Why?"

"They want to use it for inspiration. Abstergo is looking for more footage from the past for their latest game release, and my parents volunteered me for the job. It 'would' look good on a resume, being involved in a company project."

"I wonder how your ancestors were, Honey." The three turned to see Rachnera, with Centorea narrowing her eyes and saying, "I'm sure that Milord hails from a virtuous line. So remove any vile thoughts from thy mind."

The Arachne merely shrugged and said, "Would it really matter? So what if he's descended from some Samurai, or a bandit. Whoever they were, I doubt they have any bearing on him today." She then grinned at the Centaur and said, "Oh wait, I forgot I'm talking to a member of the 'proud' noble Centaur race."

Centorea rolled her eyes at the arachne's goading, far too used to it by now, and instead going back to watching the men set up the strange machine.

"What is the name of this strange device?"

"Its called the Animus." Said the young man, still feeling like there was more to this than what his parents claimed.

Just what were they hoping he would accomplish here?

**M.O.N. Headquarters**

"I have no clue who that is, but I think I know who it belongs to." Said Smith, sitting across from the Chief as they looked over the evidence laid out before them. There were the pieces to Aedan's hidden blade, which Smith thought was a little creepy due to how well it hid the deadly weapon, not to mention, that it looked capable of being modified. The coroner was able to match it with the wounds inflicted on Aedan's victims.

Except for the Orc. Something else killed him, or rather...someone else. Did this mean that there was another killer? The thought made her head hurt, and she doubted that coffee would help her now.

She wasn't paid enough for this.

She held the golden necklace Zombina had found at the scene. It was cylindrical, ancient, and the top screwed opened to reveal a picture carefully rolled within, and in perfect condition no less.

The picture was of a woman, a Minotaur due to the horns atop her head. She was grinning in the picture, standing in a forest, and wearing a rather revealing top that was a mix of brown and white. She had a light tan, with tapered ears and orange-red eyes. Her hair was black and reached the back of her neck, styled in a wild manner. She wore the golden necklace she now held, and despite her confident expression, Smith saw a small hint on bashfulness in her eyes.

"This girl...clearly she was a special woman to Aedan." Muttered Smith. She had a strong suspicion that this girl was Kurusu's ancestor, meaning that his bloodline was connected to Liminals. Hey, maybe that would help speed things along, depending on how much time had passed, considering he might be part liminal.

"We should focus our efforts in finding Hanzo." Said the Chief, surprising Smith and breaking her out of her thoughts. "You don't want to apprehend Aedan?"

"Aedan didn't kill any police, and the public's rather hostile stance against the Yakuza have turned him into a public hero as a result. Any action we take against the Hawk now will 'not' be received kindly."

He looked up from the blade, and with a stern gaze said, "Besides, the men who extracted Hanzo...they were far too professional...and I've noticed some...things."

"Such as?" Smith took off her glasses, before taking another look at the picture.

"The more I dig...the more...warnings I'm given by the higher ups. The man is connected, and I don't think our department is without spies from whoever is acting as his benefactor."

"Then what do you suggest?" Asked Smith, carefully removing the picture, and glancing at the back.

"Have your girls keep an eye on Kurusu, but see if you can find Aedan. If you do...offer him...a truce."

Though shocked, Smith nodded.

Had she mentioned that she wasn't paid enough to deal with this shit?

**Meanwhile**

Glynda was breathing heavily, leaning against a tree and looking around the wooded area she was in. She managed to break out of her chains with one of the animal rib bones she'd hidden, and for the past hour had wandered aimlessly through the forest. She was without shoes, wearing only a white shirt, and a pair of jeans, provided by Yukito after he dragged her to the cave. It was also rather humid, and she was beginning to feel tired as hunger and thirst began to take hold. As a goblin, her metabolism was rather high, and she didn't know this area well enough to find a source of water, and she was lacking any gear to hunt for food.

"I could've planned this better." She muttered, pushing off the tree and continuing her wandering. Every so often, she winced at the stinging feeling on her feet. Oh what she would give for a pair of shoes. Hell, she was starting to regret running!

(Where the hell am I going to go anyway!? The village practically banished me! The fucking Templars will kill me if the Assassins don't!) Her stomach began growling, and she cursed as she once again leaned against a tree, feeling fatigue wash over her.

(Maybe...I should go back? But then what? The Assassins will kill me too. Besides, I don't think I could find my way back.)

She heard another growl...but it wasn't from her stomach! Looking up, she caught a glimpse of something moving in the bushes, followed by more growling! She then saw more movement, and felt her heart freeze in fear.

Wolves!

She slowly straightened her posture, trying to appear collected as the first began to slowly stalk out of the bushes, followed closely by the rest of the pack. She could make out at least seven wolves, and all of them were eyeing her hungrily. With the tree suddenly becoming her best friend, Glynda debated her next course of action, trying to keep cool as she maintained eye contact with the predators.

(Fuck! What do I do? I can't scare them off...not with how tired and beat up I look! I can't run either!) It was true. Though far from slow, Glynda knew that turning your back and running from wolves was suicide, and the best thing to do was to back away slowly while making a lot of noise, except she was now surrounded, with the tree protecting her flank.

She did her best to appear menacing, growling in turn and clapping her hands to make as much noise as possible, to not appear weak. Thankfully, this made them pause in their advance, but Glynda knew that she was on borrowed time. She was clearly fatigued, covered in small cuts, and she was not large by any means. Only a miracle would pull her out of this one.

She was prepared to close her eyes, praying for a quick end, before someone suddenly leapt from the bushes, screaming a battle cry as they landed a solid flying kick into one of the wolves' sides! With a yelp, the wolf flew into one of its pack mates, while her supposed savior rolled, and then straightened in front of Glynda. To her shock, she saw a kobold woman, wearing running gear and glaring at the wolves as they growled even louder, baring their fangs.

The kobold growled in turn, blocking Glynda from their view as she watched the wolf she attacked whimper on its side, clearly suffering a broken rib from the kick. Its whimpering seemed to spur their agitation, as Glynda pressed herself further against the tree and said, "This is a shitty situation!"

This got a laugh from the woman as she said, "Are you kidding? My heart's never pumped faster! Bring it on!" And just like that, Glynda decided that this bitch was crazy! Why 'goad' the wolves?!

Just as the pack looked ready to take her up on that offer, the air shifted, and another figure suddenly leapt down and landed in front of them, a knife in his hand. It was Yukito!

Glynda's eyes widened in shock, while the kobold's widened in recognition.

"Yukito! Just in the nick of time!" Yukito was shocked to see Polt, but decided to worry about it later, instead, snapping his gaze forward when one of the wolves suddenly lunged! Both Glynda and Polt watched as Yukito's arm became a blur and with a loud whimper, the predator tumbled behind him, its body twitching as blood poured from its now open throat.

Yukito then went on the offensive, landing a fierce kick to a second wolf's muzzle, before bringing his knife down on the skull of third, the blade piercing its brain and killing it instantly. Two more wolves lunged forward, with Yukito slashing one across the side and kicking its pack mate hard enough to send it flying back a few meters. Both wolves tumbled, with the slashed wolf breathing heavily as it lay there, blood seeping from its side.

The first wolf he kicked chose to rush him with the rest of the pack, and the two girls watched in a mixture of horror and wonder as the vicious battle commenced. Attacked from all sides, with only a knife, Yukito fended off the three remaining wolves with quick cuts and warning jabs, even slashing out one of their eyes.

"Get up onto the tree!" Yelled Yukito, quickly slashing as one of the wolves made to bite his legs. Polt, though reluctant to leave him to fight alone, quickly turned, and to Glynda's surprise and annoyance, she lifted the goblin girl over onto her shoulders before practically flying up to the closest branch!

"H-hey! Put me down, Damnit!" Yelled Glynda, a blush appearing on her face. She wasn't a damn kid!

"You honestly want to go back down there!?" Asked Polt, though a loud yelp caused them both looked down to watch Yukito. To their surprise, they saw that he managed to kill another wolf, driving his knife into its stomach as it leapt for his throat, using the momentum to flip its body over his head, before the last two wolves began to back away from him, growling as they began to retreat.

Yukito, in order to remove their hesitation, let out a rather loud roar while charging at them, his height doing well to intimidate the wolves and send them running off into the forest. Clearly, this prey wasn't worth it. Breathing heavily, Yukito began making his way to the wolves that were whimpering on the ground, and in a manner that caused both Polt and Glynda to flinch, he finished them off.

As the last wolf's body quivered, then went slack, he turned to them, and yelled, "Come on down!"

Glynda, much to her embarrassment, was held by Polt as the Kobold leapt down, landing in front of Yukito as he put away his knife. Glynda then watched Yukito reach into one of his many pockets and procure a small roll of medical wrappings before walking towards her.

"I `did' mention catching you a wolf..." He said with a small chuckle.

"The hell are you doing?" Asked the goblin, flinching again when Yukito glared at her and said, "I'm going to wrap your feet. You're bleeding all over the place." Looking down, Glynda saw that her feet were indeed a bloody and bruised mess. That's when the unpleasant pain made itself known to her, and Glynda was quick to sit against the tree and allow Yukito to treat her, the young man reaching into another pocket and procuring some disinfectant.

As Yukito was tending to Glynda, he turned to Polt. "Thanks for sticking your neck out for her like that. You gave me enough time to get here."

"As if! You are a special breed of crazy to get into a knife fight with wolves and 'win'!" Said Polt, her tail wagging in excitement as she replayed the brutal fight in her head. If she was being honest, it was kind of...hot. An exercise enthusiast like her could 'definitely' appreciate it when someone kept in shape, and fighting a pack of wolves said a lot about how fit this guy was.

As Yukito wrapped the bandages around Glynda's feet, Polt then noticed the torn part of his shirt on his right shoulder. That lead to her noticing the blood running down his arm, causing Polt to frown. Glynda also noticed, and she asked, "Hey, are you alright? Looks like they took a bite out of you."

He scoffed, sparing a small glance at the wound. "The last one tried to take a chunk out of me before I threw him over. My healing factor will take care of it."

"Well until it does, you two are coming with me." Declared Polt, shocking the two. Of course, Yukito tried to protest. "Its fine...I can easily-!"

"You don't have a choice. Those wolves could've had rabies, and I happen to have some medicine to deal with that." Polt's tone and stern gaze shut down any argument, with Yukito turning to Glynda and quirking an eyebrow. The goblin girl simply returned with a shrug and said, "I'm not going to argue with her. She fucking dropped kicked a wolf before you came along!"

Conceding defeat, Yukito turned to Polt and simply said, "Fine...but on one condition..."

**Minutes Later**

"I fucking hate you." Growled Glynda, blushing up a storm as she held her arms around Yukito's neck. He was currently walking behind Polt, an amused grin on his face as he gave Glynda a piggyback ride back to the kobold's forest spa. The fact that she owned such a property, out in the woods no less, was rather shocking, but neither were going to turn down a chance to relax in an actual spa. Polt was ahead of the two, insisting that she take point as their protector, though both Yukito and Glynda could tell that she was itching to go faster. It gave them enough space to speak quietly at least.

"With the state your feet were in, you should be thanking me." Said Yukito, smirking as the goblin lightly strengthened her chokehold on his neck, which did little more than amuse him. Still, he knew she was smiling as well. He then took a moment to make sure Polt was far enough ahead, before slightly turning his head towards his passenger.

"You're rather...calm...despite the recent escape attempt. Aren't you frustrated that you're still-!"

"I say screw the Templars. They practically kidnapped me from my village. Then, they freaking use me as a sacrificial pawn to get that Hanzo guy. Unlike them...'you' came out to save me. An Assassin."

"Considering the circumstance, I'm surprised you consider that a rescue." Said Yukito, getting a scoff from her. "Well...maybe I should throw in with the Assassins, huh? You can get me in! Maybe I could protect my village." A rueful chuckle escaped him, confusing her. "What's so funny?"

"I'm beginning to wonder if I still count as one." Said Yukito, causing the goblin's eyes to widen. What the hell did that even mean?

"What, did they kick you out?"

"More likely they've marked me for death. I did...kind of break the third tenant after all."

A strange moment of silence passed, before Glynda muttered, "You don't seem too worried about it." It was Yukito's turn to scoff. He'd been alive longer than either the Templars or the Assassins had existed. He had 'more' than enough experience dealing with both Orders. Still...

"It's not me I'm worried about." He muttered.

**Yukito's Apartment**

A hooded figure exited the apartment complex, frustration clear in her posture. Half a day of searching, and still no clues! This guy was too damn good...but that shouldn't have been a surprise. This guy had at least a hundred years on her. She was one of the few people in the Order who knew his true origin.

Still, she had 'one' possible lead.

Through some sneaky tracking, she realized that he'd been hanging around a certain neighborhood, frequently patrolling the area like a guard dog, which means she needed to...

"Hey! What are you doing here!?" The sudden yell of a police officer, who'd been guarding the scene, broke her out of her self amusement, causing her to instantly begin running, and she was quick to scale the complex, running atop the rooftops as the police struggled to chase her below.


	8. A Glimpse Into The Past

"Relax Cerea. I'm sure everything will be fine." Kimihito's assurance fell on deaf ears, as Centorea continued to glare at the machine her master was being connected to. After the Animus had been connected, one of the men had given them all pamphlets with information regarding the machine, and out of all of them, Centorea was the most concerned in regards to the side effects.

On the other side of the room, connected to the Animus via cables, was a large flat-screen, which the technicians had said would display the memories so that they could all see what Kimihito saw. Papi was eagerly sitting in front of it, waiting to see what would pop up first, as well as Suu.

Apparently, long term use of the machine lead to a side effect known as the Bleeding Effect, in which the subject own memories began blending with their ancestor's. This could lead to hallucinations or even a full on mental breakdown as the subject struggled to distinguish their own memories with that of their ancestor's.

Now of course, the rest of the girls were none too keen on letting Kimihito take on such risks, but the technicians said that regular breaks from the Animus would help mitigate the effect, and that the latest models drastically reduced the risks. The machine also had its own fail-safe measures, which would forcefully eject Kimihito in the event that things went south.

Taking it all in stride, Kimihito found himself rather eager to get this thing started. Not only was he curious to see what his ancestors were like, this could finally pull the curtain on what his parents had been hiding from him all this time. In a strange way, this machine would probably connect him with his parents, as well as his ancestors.

Around him, the rest of the girls were watching anxiously, even Rachnera, as Kimihito closed his eyes and laid back, the various lights on the machine briefly flashing before his vitals were displayed on the smaller monitors connected to the Animus. All eyes turned to flat screen as it began to display an image.

"Whoooah!" Said both Suu and Papi as the image of a dna strand became visible on the screen, various parts being highlighted. Miia turned to her Darling, who looked to be between sleep and awareness.

"Darling, are you alright?"

His eyes had become focused, yet his voice was completely level as he responded. "Nothing wrong on this side. I see a DNA strand in front of me. Give me a second."

The girls watched as the highlighted parts of the strand were hovered over by a cursor on screen, with Papi asking, "How is the boss doing that?"

"A fair question." Muttered Centorea. Rachnera rolled her eyes at this and said, "Did 'any' of you read the pamphlet? It controls like a video game so that the user can synchronize with their ancestor better. That DNA is displaying parts of a specific ancestor's life."

Everyone turned to the Arachne with shocked expressions, with Lala crossing her arms and muttering, "The lass seems well learned of this machine's function." This caused Rachnera to scoff. Of course she would actually learn what this damn Animus did. Just because she liked to tease Honey relentlessly doesn't mean she would willingly put him in harm's way.

She then turned to Kimihito and asked, "Find anything Honey?"

"Yeah. There are a lot of dates...way in the past!" Said Kimihito in amazement. He didn't think his family went back so far. On the T.V. screen, the cursor began scrolling back on the DNA strand, and everyone saw multiple dates spring up, indeed going far back in time.

"Your ancestors weren't lazy in the sack then." said Rachnera with a grin, while Centorea shook her head. How often does a lewd thought 'not' run through her mind?

"How about I let you guys choose?" Said Kimihito. A murmur ran through the girls, save for Rachnera. She didn't much care what time period they chose, but she 'did' see some question marks appearing over parts of the strand. There were some with dates, but there was a lot of mystery.

"Is this normal?" Asked Miia. To her, and everyone else's surprise, another voice answered.

"Maybe, but there's only one way to find out."

Turning, everyone saw Smith, flanked by the members of M.O.N. as they stood at the room's doorway. Used to Smith's sudden appearances, the girls were only mildly shocked to see her there, with Smith quirking her eyebrow upon seeing Kimihito.

"I was wondering why there were renovations being made to your home."

"The hell is he doing?" Asked Doppel, looking back and forth between the T.V. and the Animus. A quick explanation and the members of M.O.N.'s jaws were hitting the floor. They knew Abstergo had some crazy tech, but this definitely took the cake...and presented a problem. To the confusion of the Kurusu residents, Smith and her squad suddenly got into a huddle.

"If Aedan is actually his ancestor..." Began Zombina, with Manako turning towards who nodded at the implication. Doppel smirked however, and said, "You think we're going to see some 'action'. If that chick was his wife..." Manako blushed at the implication, as well as Tio, while Smith sighed and adjusted her glasses.

"Just do your best to keep them out of the loop...Doppel!"

"Hey!"

"Manako, take notes on anything significant that we see." The cyclops nodded, before they broke the huddle and faced the confused group before them. Adjusting her sunglasses, Smith asked, "You mind if we join in, Darling? We're also curious about your ancestors."

"I don't see a problem." Said Kimihito. Moments later, they were all sitting in front of the television, prepared to see what could be considered the strangest movie ever.

A moment later, the screen flashed, and to the shock of everyone, a different date was displayed, 1250 B.C.

"Umm, Darling, I think you chose the wrong date." Said Miia, though what Kimihito said next shocked them all.

"No...for some reason, the machine wants me to go here. Heck, this the farthest I can go back actually. Any further and I run into some sort of firewall."

Strange indeed...

"That date...it seems familiar." Said Mero, looking to Smith for an explanation. The woman shrugged. "I'm not a historian...sorry." That's when an automated voice began speaking.

_"Welcome to the Animus. Abstergo is grateful in your participation, and we look forward to using your findings in order to produce quality entertainment for our consumers. For your convenience, I'm able to answer any questions you have, from the time periods you explore, to the functions of the Animus itself."_

While everyone else was shocked at this development, Papi laughed and said, "Cool! A talking T.V.!"

The automated voice continued. _"Through much study, our employees at Abstergo have determined that this is the date the famous Trojan War took place."_

Smith, who'd been drinking coffee that she'd summoned from somewhere, did a comical spit take, while Mero and Centorea's eyes widened. To Mero, the Trojan War was another example of tragedy. Oh the stories made her heart flutter! The tragic love between Paris and Helen! A love so strong that it caused a war! The fall of Troy, the deaths of heroes...it was all so...!

"Mero! Cool your gills! You're hyperventilating!" Said Miia, while Rachnera looked to Centorea. The woman practically had stars in her eyes. The great heroes from Greek myth were revered greatly among her people, and every warrior worth their steel modeled themselves after them. Now, she would see the fearsome wrath of Achilles, the wit of Odysseus, the courage of Hector!

"My lord! Is it possible you are descended from a hero!?" Asked the Centaur, looking towards Kimihito, while Rachnera watched as the screen began loading an image, the automated voice speaking as the environment was created.

_"The Trojan War, a decade long conflict between the Achaean Greeks and the besieged Trojans, which ultimately ended with the sacking of the city, as told in the Iliad. Many believe this war to be fictional, with only a few bases in fact. However, thanks to Abstergo, we can now see the events of the war through the eyes of a warrior who fought during this conflict."_

As the voice spoke, everyone watched as about a dozen ships were digitally constructed, ancient Greek Triremes. Behind sailed among others, an impossibly large fleet. The sky was grey, and a light shower of rain pelted the decks of the boats. Countless oars cut into the sea, fighting the waves as they sailed towards a beach. On the beach itself, warriors were gathering, rushing into formation as the ships approached the shore. Beyond the beach itself, they saw a large, walled off city.

"Is that Troy?" Asked Rachnera, her eyes widening at the sheer size of the city. The walls that could be seen from the sea stretched high into the air, and seemed to stretch for miles before curving. "I guess it makes sense that it would be so big...if it can survive a ten year siege."

"Papi flew over water once!" said Papi, remembering the lake she often flew over whenever she visited Kii. Speaking of which, she should schedule another play date soon. Doppel sat next to the excitable harpy and watching the scene unfold with crossed arms. Tio had dragged another couch over so that the rest of M.O.N. could sit, with Manako procuring a small notebook. Smith took her place next to Rachnera, wanting to keep a close eye on Kimihito.

Lala, crossing her own arms, narrowed her eyes and asked, "Where is the ancient ancestor of our host? Is he among the invaders, or the besieged?"

The screen then shifted back towards the foremost ships among the fleet, sailing ahead, intent on being the first to land. Among the small group of warriors standing on the deck, three stood out the most, and of the three, the members of M.O.N. recognized Aedan.

His hair was shorter, a close fade that was matted slightly by the falling rain. His armor was the more striking however, looking like something right out of a science fiction. He wore black robes beneath a breastplate with yellow trims, curving from his shoulders to his midriff, the metal appearing to have a foreign origin, with parts of it glowing with a golden light. His bracers shared the same quality, as well the helmet he held under his arm.

His armor wasn't the only thing that stood out. On his back was strapped a spearhead, intricate in design, and also glowing with a faint light. Though not a weapons nut like a certain centaur she knew, Rachnera had to admit that the weapon looked beautiful in its own way.

His expression was more stern, a sharp look in his eyes as he regarded the gathering defenses upon the beach, the golden orbs more prominent due to the darkened sky. Miia, as well as the other girls quickly noticed the resemblance between Aedan and Kimihito, with the Lamia asking. "Is 'that' darling's ancestor?" The man looked like a taller and older version of Kimihito, and compared to the easy going attitude of their host, this man had the bearing of someone who wasn't a stranger to violence.

"His armor is pretty." Said Papi, kind of missing the point.

The video slowed down, and the automated voice began speaking as the camera focused on the warrior.

_"The godfather of both Achilles and Patroclus, Leonidas answers the call to arms of his old friend, Menelaus, though his motivation for fighting is yet unknown. What is known is that he bears a strong hatred for Paris."_

The members of M.O.N. recognized 'Leonidas' as yet another alias, and Manako was already scribbling notes. The part about being a godfather was definitely new, and to the famous Achilles no less. Centorea was fighting her giddiness. Before her, a legend was unfolding, and that her master's ancestor was the godfather of such famous warriors...her fellow centaurs would be envious. Mero was also feeling anticipation, though more at the prospect of the tragedy that would occur. Both Achilles and Patroclus met their ends here, after all, though...her want of a tragic ending was not nearly as strong as when she first met her Beloved.

At that moment, Suu came in, bearing buckets of popcorn with her many tendrils that everyone was quick to take. So the scene continued.

**-Simulation-**

_"We're lucky this storm rolled in when it did, the Trojans won't be able to launch arrows in this wind." Said one of the men standing next to Leonidas, prompting the rest to mutter in agreement, some offering thanks to Zeus. Leonidas merely glanced at the sky, though his expression remained hardened. A light slug on his shoulder caused Leonidas to glance to his right, where another man stood._

_He looked to be in his early twenties, with short black hair, two braids hanging from the right side of his head. His eyes were a dark brown, and he wore a grey cuirass over a black shirt, as well as a white cloak wrapped over his shoulders. Despite the rain, his expression one who looked to be on their way to a friend's party._

_What's wrong Leo? Aren't you the 'least' bit excited?" This got an eyeroll out of Leonidas, who promptly smacked the man upside his head with an audible thump. "Curb your own excitement, Patroclus, else people will mistake you for Achilles."_

_This got a snicker from the young man. "As if. After that stunt lady Thetis pulled, its amazing people think him a man 'now'. He was quite the looker as a woman."_

_This got Patroclus another smack on the head, though this time from another. Patroclus, still grinning, turned to his assailant and said, "Come now, Achilles, I meant as a compliment!"_

_"I'll compliment my fist to your face! Never bring that up again!" The new speaker was the now named Achilles, who sported a look of great embarrassment as he recalled 'that' event._

_Achilles looked to be in his late teens, with long dusty blonde hair, tied into braids that fell on either side of his head, with striking blue-green eyes. He was lacking in armor, wearing a blue tunic over a long sleeved shirt, and like Patroclus, he wore a white cloak. On the ring finger of his right hand, he wore an intricate ring._

_Before the two could start bickering, Leonidas smacked them both upside the head and said, "Save it for tonight you two! We're about to hit the beach." Indeed, the ship was mere moments from making landfall. Instantly, the two men faced the beach and braced, while Leonidas placed the helmet upon his head, completely obscuring his face before he slightly bent his knees, as if to run. The ship shook as it made landfall, and all at once they sprung into action. Patroclus and Achilles began to yell out commands to the fighting men, but Leonidas ran forward, towards the bow of the ship, and with a mighty leap he cleared the ram and landed on the beach. _

_Quickly, he charged towards the nearest Trojan soldiers, seeking to buy his men time to form up. He took the spearhead from his back, and with a flick of his wrist, the handle extended, turning the seemingly broken weapon into a full spear._

_The Trojans saw him coming, and began running towards him, though they made the mistake of breaking their half formed phalanx. Leonidas leapt upwards as the first man reached him, using the hoplite's shield as a springboard to leap above, then behind him. Without missing a beat, Leonidas impaled the man from behind with his spear, and in a monstrous display of strength, used his spear to fling the man's body into the charging Trojans, knocking two over, and startling the rest. _

_Their hesitation proved to be their undoing, as Leonidas charged forward and engaged them, and though outnumbered, his skill was proven. Each thrust of their spears missed their mark, deftly avoided, and each slash of their swords were parried and knocked aside. Meanwhile, Leonidas killed man after man, impaling them with his spear, or slashing open their throats with a sword he wrestled out of the grip of one of his enemies. _

_One man actually managed to get in close and slashed at Leonidas' skull, though the blade glanced off of the strange helmet, and the soon to be dead man only had time to widen his eyes in shock before his head was lopped off his shoulders. Shifting the spear into its shortened form, Leonidas spun around the thrust of the man's comrade, and drove the spearhead between the failed avenger's shoulders._

_Blood splattered the wet sand, and by the time they finally lost courage began to run, twenty Trojans lay dead on the ground around him, the eerie glow of his armor and spear against the grey sky and sea behind him cutting a striking image to friend and foe alike. Achilles and Patroclus soon stood at his side, their own weapons covered in blood._

_"Our men are nearly done leaving the ships. What's the plan?" Asked Patroclus, glaring at the retreating Trojans._

_Leonidas spoke clearly, his voice slightly distorted due to the helmet, but still carrying much authority._

_"Our fast landing threw them into disarray, but that won't last. Spread out and establish a beachhead. Take over parts of the beach at a time until our allies make landfall and gather their men. We need to be quick. The Trojans are no doubt gathering their real army and preparing to push us back out to the sea."_

_Nodding, the two men began to sprint down the length of the beach, joined by a majority of their men. Leonidas watched them go, before glancing over at the city of Troy. The rain began to pick up, and thunder boomed, as he took the men still with him and had them rush up the crest of the beach, as another ragtag group of defenders charged him._

**_-Simulation End-_**

The video feed suddenly cut off, and the Animus made a beeping sound before Kimihito suddenly gasped, sitting up straight and breathing heavily as the girls all looked to him in shock. For a brief moment, Smith thought she saw his eyes shift in color, only to shake her head as she quickly went to tend to him.

"Are you okay? Kimihito? Can you hear me?"

After a moment, Kimihito quickly nodded, and carefully removed the cords connecting him to the Animus, before slowly getting up, assisted by Centorea and Rachnera, the former asking the obvious question.

"What has happened?"

That's when the automated voice spoke from the Animus.

_"The Subject's neurosignals were showing signs of deep immersion. Do not be alarmed. This is merely a safety measure put in place to mitigate the Bleeding Effect. Synchronization...above average. Please refrain from using the Animus for the rest of the day."_

With that, everyone was looking at Kimihito, who was slowly looking more awake with each passing moment. The young man was reeling somewhat. He could still see the recent battle, feel the weight of his spear, hear the death throes of those slain. He could clearly hear the voices of Achilles and Patroclus. For a moment, he 'was' Leonidas. However, upon seeing the fearful look of his homestays, Kimihito decided to say something.

"That...was an experience. I can't believe I have an ancestor who actually fought in the Trojan War." He then glanced back towards the Animus. "This thing is insane."

"You're telling me." Muttered Smith, glancing to her subordinates. Like her, their faces were a mix of shock and horror. The Animus shoved everything like a movie at some points, and game at others, but to know that these were actual people from the past...and seeing Leo...Aedan in that strange armor, with that spear...

(Aedan...who or 'what' the hell are you?)


End file.
